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June 18 - 24, 2020
VOL. 69, No. 25
www.tsdmemphis.com
A season for ‘Community Fathers’ COVID-19 forces The Classic’s cancellation
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Dr. Charles McKinney saw the future a few years ago when he took his sons to a rally protesting the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. Now his 19 year old, Ayodele McKinney, is among those local protesters saying “no more” to ongoing police brutality and systemic racism. (Courtesy photo)
Protests yield a like-fatherlike-sons story by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Dr. Charles McKinney is an associate professor of history, teaching selected topics in Africana at Rhodes College. He enjoys the renown of a widely-sought speaker and a published author. But in 2014, the scholar was a grieved father. An 18-year-old Michael Brown had been killed by a police officer in Ferguson, MO, while reportedly surrendering with his hands raised in the air. Demonstrations and violent acts of protest reverberated across the nation. McKinney’s heart was heavy. So he did what any other good, African-American father would do. He took his sons down to the Mapco store at the corner
Friends & ‘Community Fathers’: Fred L. Davis, Rev. Tim Russell PAGE 9 of Jackson Ave. and Evergreen St., where some protesters had gathered in their neighborhood. It was important for his sons to see him “standing as a black man against this killing. “I just remember explaining to my boys and the other young people who were listening that no police officer has the right or the authority to be judge, jury and executioner,” McKinney said.” Only days ago, McKinney’s 19-year-old son,
SEE PROTEST ON PAGE 9
SEE COVID ON PAGE 2
Flight co-owner ousted amid claims of racism, sexism by Dena Owens Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Russ Graham, co-owner of Flight Restaurant & Wine Barat at 39 S. Main St. and Monroe, has been forced out of the business in response to allegations of racism and sexism at Flight and some of its sister restaurants. Flight came under fire in recent days when former employees took to social media to claim that management instructed them to seat black customers in areas where they couldn’t be seen by white patrons en-
Poor People’s Campaign to move forward virtually after 57 years by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell
TSD Newsroom The 31st Southern Heritage Classic (SHC) has been canceled – a casualty of COVID-19. “I know this is a great disappointment to many who consider the SHC one of the major highlights of the year,” said Fred Jones Jr., founder of the Southern Heritage Classic. “The health and safety of our attendees along with that of our staff, sponsors, and others is a top priority.” None of the SHC events that were scheduled for Sept. 10-12, 2020 will be held. Those who purchased tickets for the football game can receive refunds at the point of purchase. The decision to cancel all events followed SHC’s management review of Shelby County Health Department’s Health Directive No. 6 detailing emergency management relief efforts put in place to address COVID-19, specifically those regarding recreational or athletic activities. Massive crowds have the potential to increase the spread of the novel coronavirus. On average, over 75,000 people attend the SHC annually and individual events such as the tailgate in Tiger Lane, the football game between Jackson State University and Tennessee State University and the parade in Orange Mound. “I encourage everyone to keep practicing recommended safety and social distancing measures so that we can return to our usual activities as soon as possible,” said Jones. In a release about the cancellation, SHC management expressed
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Taking Flight and examining the conundrum PAGE 4 tering the facility. The former employees also said the restaurants’ owner, Flight Restaurant Group, was very selective about who was hired, employing very few black people and those they did hire worked in the kitchen area. Co-owner Tom Powers said the company is bringing in a human re-
SEE FLIGHT ON PAGE 2
Labor unions, religious organizations, faith and civic rights leaders, The Women’s March and numerous celebrities will gather virtually Saturday (June 20) for “The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival.” The campaign is a “movement of tens of thousands of people across the country who are organizing to end the interlocking injustices of systemic racism, poverty, militarism and the war economy, ecological devastation, and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism,” according to the organization’s website. The event will be live streamed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CST) Saturday (June 20) and Sunday (June 21). MSNBC will live stream. RadioOne will air on all of its stations and other local and national media have partnered as well. The event mirrors the goals of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s planned Poor People’s Campaign, which was derailed when he was Rev. Alvin assassinated O’Neal Jackson in Memphis while helping the city’s striking sanitation workers. Plans for this weekend’s event hit a major stumbling block when the COVID-19 pandemic caused major events to be canceled or postponed. “COVID-19 is highly contagious, and all that planning we did for (for the scheduled) June 30 date was wasted, I thought,” said Dr. Alvin O’Neal Jackson, executive director of the organization. “But I began to consider the possibilities.” Jackson said Saturday’s event potentially could host millions of participants across the globe. “This is our time. This is the moment,” Jackson said. “There are 140 million people living in poverty in the United States. That’s nearly half of this country’s population. Our virtual, mass March on Washington is a call to action that must be answered.” The online confab will feature artists, politicians and celebrities, but they only will be introducing ordinary people who will talk about their struggles through poverty, a pandemic and protests for racial justice. Jackson said hundreds of mobilizing partners will participate, including14 national labor unions, 16 national religious organizations,
SEE POOR ON PAGE 2
Concern voiced on social media about how the Flight Restaurant treats African-American customers and employees later became a Memphis City Council issue and led to the ouster of a co-owner. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku)