Vol. 48 No. 49
March 29, 2018 - April 4, 2018
This publication is a Certified DBE/ SBE / MBE in the State of California CUCP #43264 Metro File #7074 & State of Texas File #802505971 “If you can control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his action. When you determine what a man shall think you do not have to concern yourself about what he will do. If you make a man feel that he is inferior, you do not have to compel him to accept an inferior status, for he will seek it himself. If you make a man think that he is justly an outcast, you do not have to order him to the back door. He will go without being told; and if there is no back door, his very nature will demand one.” Carter G. Woodson, The Mis-Education of the Negro
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Hundreds of Thousands March to End Gun Violence
Editor in Chief’s Corner Email: sbamericannews@gmail.com Clifton Harris Publisher of The San Bernardino AMERICAN News
Stephon Clark Shooting Spurs Citywide Protest, National Attention, Grandmothers Ask For Justice At Press Conference By Manny Otiko | California Black Media
By Adrienne Perkins and Montana Couser, Howard University News ServiceOn March 24, 2018 fore their Sunday game. A Coalition of community activists in support of the Clark family convened a press conference on March 26 at Sacramento City Hall calling for “justice, reform and healing.” Clark's grandmother Sequita
Sequita Thompson with Attorney Ben Crump at a Press Conference March 26, 2018 Sacramento City Hall. Grandmother of Stephon Clark, the unarmed Black man who was shot and killed by Sacramento PD. An estimated 800,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C. to remember victims of gun violence and push for stronger gun control legislation WASHINGTON -- Hundreds of thousands marched in the nation’s capital and across the world to commemorate those killed by gun violence and to demand more effective gun control legislation. The march, entitled March for Our Lives, was led by teenagers and survivors of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. To honor the 17 victims of the February shooting, one of the speakers read their names, “Alyssa Alhadeff, Scott Beigel, Nicholas Dworet, Jaime Guttenberg . . .” He saved the name of one student, Nicholas Dworet, for last because Saturday would have been his 18th birthday. The crowd chanted “Never again,” and “Everyday shootings are everyday problems.” People from across the nation traveled to Washington in support of the cause. One of them was Brianna Richardson, who came from Newtown, Conn., the site of the deadliest public school
shooting in America. In 2012, Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children between six and seven years old, as well as six adult staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Richardson, whose father is the president of Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Department, said the incident inspired her to become a nurse. “I want to help people live happy healthy lives, so that one day we don’t have people who feel so sadly that they have to do these things,” she said. After the tragedy, Richardson, began volunteering and pushing for change, as well. Organizers estimate 800,000 people attended the march in Washington. Numerous celebrities, including Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Hudson, Arianna Grande, George Clooney, Common and Demi Lovato joined the demonstration. Students and survivors of the Parkland shooting joined with students across the nation and celebrities to share their testimonies on the main stage. There was
also a six-minute moment of silence for the time it took to kill the 17 victims at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. One of the speakers on the main stage was the granddaughter of Civil Rights icon Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream that enough is enough and that this should be a gun free world, period,” 9-yearold Yolanda Renee King said. The crowd at the march was very emotional and many were teary-eyed at the remarks made by the speakers. "Protect the Children," one sign reads, paying homage to the victims of the school shootings, many of whom were children. Amber Kelly, a teen mother, stood in the crowd with her son and expressed the worry she has for her son attending school. “I’m more so scared for my son than myself,” Kelly said. “I don't have the money to send my child to private school or homeschool him. How can I feel comfortable sending my son to school if I know there’s a possibility he
could be shot?” Helena Ristic, 24, is originally from Serbia. She said she decided to join the march to support the young people leading the event and to help end gun violence. “I think this event shows that even though they're kids, they can still make change,” Ristic said. “We all want gun violence to end.” Lots of children were there with their parents. Many held signs and walked alongside their families. Zachary Hill, 8, walked with his mom and two siblings and was excited he could be a part of this movement. “I’m really happy we’re making a change for the future,” Hill said. One young girl holds a sign which reads "My Qualifications to be an English Teacher." "Human shield" and "Gunslinger" are not checked off on the list. Aalayah Eastmond, a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting, urged people not to lose focus on the fact that most (continued on page 8 )
Sacramento Residents Demand Answers in Stephon Clark Killing Sacramento Police Dept. under Fire for Shooting Death of Stephon Clark, an Unarmed Black Man, in South Sacramento By Genoa Barrow (Sacramento Observer/NNPA Member)
Sacramento resident Stephon Clark became the latest unarmed Black male to die in a police-related shooting. The story has spread across the national media to become the newest flashpoint amongst African-American activists and community leaders and the families who demand action on police violence. According to reports, Clark, a father of two, was in his grandmother's backyard as Sacramento police were following up on a call that a man was breaking car windows. The Sacramento Sheriff's helicopter was providing air coverage while directing Sacramento officers on the ground. Upon encountering Clark, officers are heard on police body cam footage saying "gun, gun" and within seconds, immediately shot 20 rounds killing the father of two. "Prior to the shooting, the involved officers saw the suspect facing them, advance forward with his arms extended, and holding an object in his hands. At the time of the shooting, the officers believed the suspect was pointing a firearm at them. After an exhaustive search, scene investigators did not locate any firearms. The only item found near the suspect was a cell phone," according to a Sacramento Police Department news release. In response to the shooting, Black Lives Matter and other Sacramento area activists staged a public protest shutting down a section of the I-5 later to form a human blockade preventing over 10,000 people from entering Golden One arena. The Kings and the Boston Celtics both wore shirts featuring Clark's name be-
Thompson recounted the night when she heard gunshots in her backyard. She recalled sitting on her computer and crawling on the floor to her 7-year-old granddaughter who was asleep on the couch when the shots started. "They didn't have to kill him like that,” said Thompson. “They didn't have to shoot him that many times. Why didn't you shoot him in the arm? Shoot him in the leg? Send the dogs, a taser … why? Over a cell phone? I just want justice for my grandson." President of the Sacramento chapter of the NAACP Betty Williams met with Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn and put calls in to Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert for regular updates. "The unanswered question remains does the justice system have the capability of dispensing justice for all its citizens?" Said Williams. The family retained Attorney Benjamin Crump who handled high-profile cases including Travon Martin and Michael Brown. "Since 2015 over 73 families have had to endure similar experiences. Over 70 Black Men have been shot and unarmed. This is oh to often a pattern in America,” said Crump. Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network President, will attend Clark's funeral on Thursday and deliver the eulogy. Sharpton has sent his West Coast representative Rev. Shane R. Harris, president of the San Diego chapter of NAN to provide counsel to the family. (continued on page 8)
Our Values, Mission, & Vision Statement
Hundreds converged on Sacramento’s city hall last Thursday in protest of the police-involved shooting of Stephon Clark, 22, who was killed in South Sacramento Sunday by two officers who mistook a cell phone he was holding for a gun. Protesters, led by activists with Black Lives Matter Sacramento, left city hall and proceeded to move onto Northbound I-5, shutting down the busy highway just before the evening commute. (Antonio R. Harvey/The Sacramento Observer) SACRAMENTO—Angry and frustrated residents are demanding answers after a police-in-
volved shooting left an unarmed, Black man dead last week. Stephon Clark, 22, was fatally shot
Stephon Clark, 22, was fatally shot by Sacramento police officers last week. This photo of him with his two young sons has been widely circulated on social media by family and friends decrying the shooting and calling for justice. (Twitter) in his Meadowview area backyard Sunday, after two Sacramento Police Department (SPD) officers shot at him more than 20 times. Local law enforcement officers were in the area after receiving a 911 call about a man suspected
of breaking into vehicles in the area. A Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department helicopter spotted a man they believed to be that suspect, described as being 6’1”, thin, (continued on page 7)
Our Values: Treat all people with care, respect, honor, and dignity. Tell it as it is with love, truth and integrity. Promote the interests of advertisers and sponsors along their strategic interest for the betterment of the community and beyond. Speak truth to power. Our Mission: To continuously improve communication between all people of the world. Our Vision: To be the best community newspaper in our region and the nation. Provider of: A voice for the poor, the underserved, those that are marginalized, Positive and edifying news about people, places and businesses. Keep San Bernardino, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties informed about global trends while retaining the consciousness of local events and processes. Memberships and Associations: The San Bernardino American Newspaper is a member of the California Newspaper Publishers Association, National Newspaper Association and addociated with California Black Media.