OCTOB ER 2016 | VOL
VOL. 52, NO. 02 • OCTOBER 27 – NOVEMBER 2, 2016
OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
2, ISSUE 9
BLACK MILLEN NIALS:
WILL WE VOTE ? WI Bridge Center Section
Black Clergy Lead the Way as Voting Begins Ministers across America Pull out All Stops in Crucial Elections By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor It’s a forgone conclusion that the men and women who accept the call to ministry in the Black Church often have to do a lot more than preach and teach, in part due to the often daunting needs and challenges their congregations face. So it should come as no surprise that Black faith leaders from Florida to California and everywhere in between have been ramping up their efforts and employing unique strategies to ensure that African-American voters of faith have their voices heard in this year’s election – and that they vote in record numbers.
One effort, led by Faith in Florida, a federation of the PICO National Network, has partnered with Black denominations and hundreds of congregations on multiple community events and marches across the battleground state. With support from For Florida’s Future, SEIU Florida, AFSCME Florida and others, PICO has developed the “Together We Vote” program – a multifaith, multi-racial voter engagement initiative with voter registration, education and turnout in the U.S. as their collective goal. So far their leaders estimate that they’ve spoken with over 400,000 voters in one-on-one
BLACK CLERGY Page 11
Howard School of Communication Takes New Name, Looks Forward
Renames Building to Honor Radio One, Inc. Founder Cathy Hughes By Hamil Harris WI Contributing Writer Only Cathy Hughes could transform the Blackburn Center at Howard University into both a sanctuary as well as a Go-Go joint. At least that’s how electric the atmosphere seemed on Sunday, Oct. 22 during a standing-room-only celebratory brunch during which Hughes received well-deserved accolades for her philanthropic commitment to Howard University. And to acknowledge her contri-
HUGHES Page 38
5 Cathy Hughes / Courtesy photo
EARLY VOTING IN FULLL SWING
Hundreds of registered District of Columbia voters stood in line in Northwest on Sat., October 22, the first day of early voting. The One Judiciary Square location is scheduled to operate from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. through Nov. 4. / Photo by Travis Riddick
NNPA, Howard, Join Forces to Poll Black Voters By Freddie Allen Managing Editor NNPA Newswire In an historic effort to measure the pulse of African-American voters, the National Newspaper Publishers Association [NNPA] partnered with Howard University to conduct the first scientific poll of the Black community during the 2016 election cycle. “The NNPA was pleased to join with one of the nation’s leading historically Black colleges and universities, Howard University in Washington, D.C., to conduct, analyze and present timely and strategic findings
that pertain to the political, economic and social interests of Black Americans across the U.S.,” said Dr. Benjamin Chavis, president and CEO of the NNPA. The NNPA represents more than 200 Black-owned media companies that reach an estimated 20 million readers every week. “The Howard University/NNPA National Black Voter Poll is very important during this momentous season of political change,” Chavis said. The 2016 Howard University/ NNPA National Black Voters Poll covered a range of issues including racial inequality, criminal justice system, jobs and the economy, global trade,
terrorism, education, immigration and environmental pollution. The poll was conducted by landline telephone and more than 420 people, who self-identified as Black, completed the questionnaire. Rubin Patterson, the chairman of the Department of Sociology and Criminology, said that the 2016 National Black Voter Poll is of huge importance, not only because it is a collaborative product of two major Black institutions – Howard University and the National Newspaper Publishers Association – but also because it is the first scientific poll of the Black community concerning the
POLLS Page 44
Celebrating 51 Years of Service / Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area