Daisy Bates, Arkansas civil rights icon honored with Capitol Statue

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Members of Daisy Bates family at unveiling of her statue

Daisy Lee Gatson Bates, an Arkansaw civil rights icon was honored last week, in a bi-partisan ceremony, by placing her statue in the Nation Statutory Hall in the Rotunda of the U. S. Capitol in Washington D. C. Each of the 50 states has two statutes of people representing their state in this prestigious location.

Her statute and a statue of country music singer, Johnny Cash, to be added in the Fall, replace two statutes of Arkansas 19th century leaders, with a segregationist past, who are not well known today.

Daisy Bates was an influential civil rights activist, journalist, and educator who played a pivotal role in the fight against racial segregation in Arkansas.

In 1954, the Supreme Court, in Brown vs The Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, ruled segregated schools unconstitutional. According to her bio, Bates began gathering African American students to enroll at all-white schools after the ruling. Often, the white schools refused to let black students attend. Bates used her newspaper to publicize the schools that did follow the federal mandate. Despite the continuous rejection from many Arkansas public schools, she pushed forward.
When the National NAACP office started to focus on Arkansas’ schools, they looked to Bates to plan the strategy, her bio noted. She took the reins and organized the Little Rock Nine. She selected nine students to integrate Central High School in Little Rock in 1957, whom she regularly drove to school and worked tirelessly to protect them from violent crowds. Bates also advised the group and even joined the school’s parent organization. She was also instrumental in convincing President Dwight Eisenhower, to send Federal troops to Little Rock to enforce the Supreme Court’s decision.
Daisy Bates’ unwavering commitment to equality and justice led her to work closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a prominent leader in the civil rights movement, in advocating for desegregation and equal rights for all. She worked closely with DR. King and the NAACP to non-violently integrate the schools in the face of white sometimes violent resistance.
Ben Victor, the statue’s sculptor, also shared his perspective on Bates. “Her courage really stands out to me,” Victor said. “I’ve depicted her in motion because she was a woman with a cause. She is smiling, showing her optimism in the face of great adversity.”
Bates, who died in 1999 at age 84, played a crucial role in desegregating Arkansas public schools in the 1950s. Along with her husband, she published an Arkansas newspaper dedicated to the civil rights cause and served as the president of the state’s NAACP chapter. “Every high school, every middle school, every elementary school, every college in this country is the pattern of America today because of Daisy Gaston Bates,” remarked Charles King, President of the Daisy Bates House Museum Foundation, during the unveiling ceremony.
Some of Daisy Bates, close relatives have worked with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives in Arkansas on the Black Farmer lawsuits and recent Discrimination Farmers Assistance Program to get justice for Black farmers in Arkansas and across the South.

Newswire : Ghana’s cocoa crop ‘shattered’ by bad weather and poor harvests

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Ghana cocoa harvester at work
May 13, 2024 (GIN) – Everyone or almost everyone loves chocolate, making it imperative to follow Ghana’s production shortfall and similar problems in Ivory Coast.
 
These shortfalls have been fueling historic surges in cocoa prices, forcing customers to shell out more for familiar chocolate bars and other tasty sweets. Samuel Adimado, president of Ghana’s cocoa buyers’ group, estimates that current crop figures were “shattering” and member firms were struggling to remain in business.
 
Ghana is the second-largest exporter of cocoa beans in the world, after Ivory Coast.
 Normally, investment in agriculture is seen as humanity’s best hope of achieving at least two UN global goals: Ending Poverty and Zero Hunger.
 
For Ghana in particular, agriculture is an overwhelming priority as it employs around 45 percent of the labor force (more than any other sector) and contributes some 15 percent of GDP. As many as 800,000 people work directly in the plantation of cocoa, but nowadays many more are involved in the commercial, industrial and service sectors. 
 
Cocoa is iconic for Ghana, not just in terms of economics but also for its national identity, social history – even its climate future. As the saying goes: “Ghana is cocoa, cocoa is Ghana”. 
 
Under normal conditions, cocoa production in Ghana is considered environmentally friendly, as beans grow without watering and need little additional pesticides or herbicides. 
 
However, more frequent droughts and rising temperatures are already affecting West Africa and may even turn large swathes of the region to savanna by 2050, according to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 
 
Michael Ekow Amoah, deputy director of research at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), noted: “The challenge that we cannot run away from is climate change.  For Ghana, this means that farmers have great difficulty in planning their activities: some plant too early before the rains, some plant too late.”
 
“Today in Ghana the average age of a cocoa farmer is 55 which is not too good for the future,” says Amoah. COCOBOD has launched a “Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme” as a means of attracting the youth.
 
Last but not least, a final critical issue is land tenure. Most cocoa farmers do not own the land they work on since they are migrant farmers. This does not ensure proper land use practices and adequate benefit sharing among stakeholders.
 
As the surge in prices filters down to retail shelves, chocolate makers like Hershey expect to see a further slow down in demand for their products from cash conscious customers.
 
“We haven’t seen this kind of reduction in recent times,” said the president of Ghana’s cocoa buyers group. “Rising global cocoa prices have incentivized smuggling, meaning losses could be higher this season. “
 
 

Newswire : VP Harris announces $5.5 Billion funding for affordable housing and homelessness solutions

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By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent


A housing crisis is gripping tens of millions of families nationwide, cutting across political lines and sparking bipartisan action in state legislatures.
The root cause of the crisis is a chronic housing shortage, which has driven home prices up by approximately 60 percent after adjusting for inflation over the past decade. The staggering increase has left many families struggling to afford rent or homeownership, and, according to recent data, around a quarter of renters, equivalent to roughly 12 million households, are spending more than half of their income on housing costs, far exceeding the recommended one-third threshold for financial health. On Tuesday, May 7, Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled a significant funding boost to address the pressing issues of affordable housing and homelessness across the United States.
The White House said the announcement through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) marks a crucial step in Harris and President Joe Biden’s efforts to tackle the housing crisis inherited from previous administrations. Harris announced that $5.5 billion in grants would be distributed to 1,200 communities through more than 2,400 grants to states, cities, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and local organizations nationwide.
“Homeownership is an essential part of the American Dream that represents so much more than a roof over our heads,” Harris stated. “That is why President Biden and I are expanding on our historic investments in housing by announcing $5.5 billion that will increase access to affordable housing, invest in economic growth, and address homelessness in communities throughout America.”
The funding, part of the White House Housing Supply Action Plan and the Blueprint for a Renter’s Bill of Rights, aims to boost the housing supply, lower housing costs, expand rental assistance, enhance renter protections, and invest in more robust, more resilient communities.
“A coordinated whole-of-community approach is crucial to build strong and resilient communities, invest in decent housing, create healthy environments, expand economic opportunities accessible to low-income households, and support aspiring homebuyers and those experiencing homelessness,” Acting HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman emphasized in a statement.
The White House said the allocation of the $5.5 billion in grants would go through various HUD programs, including:
$1.3 billion to 668 grantees to build affordable housing through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME).
$214 million to every state to increase affordable housing supply via the Housing Trust Fund (HTF).
$3.3 billion to 1,254 grantees to build stronger communities through the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).
$455 million to 130 grantees to connect people with HIV/AIDS to housing and support through the Housing Opportunities for Persons With HIV/AIDS (HOPWA) program.
$290 million to 357 grantees to address homelessness through Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG).
$30 million to 23 States and the District of Columbia to support recovery from substance use disorder via the Recovery Housing Program (RHP).
The announcement follows Harris’s recent stops on her nationwide Economic Opportunity Tour, where she has been highlighting the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to support communities and improve access to housing while making it more affordable.
Administration officials pointed out that Harris has been a vocal advocate for homeownership and housing affordability. As Attorney General of California, she helped pass the California Homeowner Bill of Rights, and as a U.S. Senator, she introduced several bills aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing and lowering renters’ costs.
The White House said the latest funding underscores the administration’s commitment to addressing the housing crisis and creating opportunities for all Americans to access safe and affordable housing.
“The funding made available today serves as building blocks to empower communities to take ownership of community development investments and put the needs of residents first,” Todman asserted.
 

Newswire: American Cancer Society launches largest-ever study to probe disparities in cancer outcomes for Black women

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Black women celebrate cancer survival

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

The American Cancer Society is embarking on an unprecedented initiative spanning 20 states, including the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, to investigate the troubling disparities in cancer survival rates among Black women.

Despite overall declines in cancer deaths, Black women continue to face disproportionately high mortality rates, a phenomenon the organization aims to address through its newly unveiled VOICES of Black Women study.

“While cancer deaths have declined, Black women maintain a high death rate,” said Dr. Lauren McCullough, co-principal investigator and visiting scientific director at the American Cancer Society, during a recent briefing.  “With few exceptions, Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage cancer, aggressive tumor types, and have higher cancer-specific mortality rates than other women,” McCullough added.

This disparity is especially pronounced in breast cancer, where Black women face a 40% higher mortality rate than white women despite having a lower rate of diagnosis by 4%.

Moreover, Black women are 60% more likely than white women to succumb to cervical cancer and nearly twice as likely to die from endometrial cancer. The VOICES of Black Women study aims to enroll over 100,000 Black women aged 25 to 55, making it the country’s most significant endeavor of its kind. Participants must be cancer-free upon enrollment and will be tracked for 30 years to examine the impact of medical history, lifestyle factors, and experiences of racism on cancer risk and mortality.

“To be eligible for the study, participants must live in one of the 20 states or Washington, D.C., which together account for more than 90% of the U.S. population of Black women ages 25 to 55,” McCullough clarified.

The initiative seeks to confront historical injustices in medical research, which have often excluded or exploited Black participants. McCullough referenced past instances of medical exploitation, including the Tuskegee experiment and the unauthorized use of Henrietta Lacks’ cells.

The study allows individuals to opt out of providing medical records, and their identities will remain confidential in published research. Officials said this would safeguard participants’ privacy and ensure ethical oversight,
 
A brief registration on the study’s website precedes a thorough survey covering medical history, lifestyle choices, and encounters with racism and discrimination.
Enrollment is open in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
“This isn’t just a study; it’s a collective commitment to understanding and improving the health of Black women across the nation,” affirmed cancer society officials. “And that change starts with you.”

R. H. Young Community Center dedicated

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The Robert H. Young Community Center was dedicated on Saturday, May 4, 2024. The community center is named for the long-time principal of the former Carver School, which was purchased from the Greene County Board of Education by the City of Eutaw in 2018.

Mayor of Eutaw, Latasha Johnson, assisted by Valerie Watkins, City Council District 1 member conducted the dedication ceremony. Mayor Johnson said she was proud of the efforts of the City of Eutaw to renovate and develop the R. H. Young Community Center.

“This center houses offices for the Extension Service. It has served as an incubator for small businesses, it was the office for FEMA tornado relief and many other programs. We have used the gymnasium for community meetings, job fairs, health fairs, funerals, birthday parties, family reunions and many other purposes including as a storm shelter,” said Mayor Johnson.

The family of the late Robert H. Young were present, including his wife, Carolyn Young,  who writes a weekly column for the Greene County Democrat,  Also, present were son, daughter-in-law and  past students of the Youngs, who taught and administrated at the Carver School.

Members of the Tuscaloosa Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, of which Young was a member, attended the dedication ceremony and pledged to support the programmatic, construction and maintenance needs of the community center, going forward, in memory of Robert H. Young. Mayor Johnson said the City of Eutaw was searching for grants to improve the community center and welcome aid from residents and others concerned that the city has a usable and comfortable community center facility.

Kickoff held for $6 million Sports Complex at Greene County High School

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This past Saturday morning, May 4, 2024, Dr. Corey Jones, Superintendent of Greene County School Board held a public kickoff celebration for the construction of a $6 million Sports Complex to serve the students and residents of Greene County.

The Sports Complex will include three phases. Phase 1 includes a Football Field with bleachers, lighting, a press box, entrance plaza, which will be surrounded by a running track and broad jump and pole-vaulting areas for Track and Field, toilets, and a concession area. Phase 2 will construct a Football Fieldhouse with home and visitors dressing areas. Phase 3 will include a Softball and Baseball Complex, with toilets and concession stand.

The Greene County Board of Education, with help from our state legislative delegation of Senator Bobby Singleton and Representative Curtis Travis, secured $1.1 million, from the Lieutenant Governor’s Discretionary Fund for Educational Capital Projects, to begin Phase 1 of the project this year. The Board has established a “Sport Complex Committee” of community leaders and volunteers to give advice and help to raise funds for the project.

At the Kickoff celebration, there were several large placards with drawings of the potential elements of the Sports Complex. One of which we have photographed and included with this news story.

Superintendent Jones explained the project at the Kickoff celebration. He was joined by Eutaw Mayor Latasha Johnson , Coach James E. Morrow, from the City Council of Boligee, Representative Curtis Travis and Board President, Leo Branch of the Greene County Board of Education, in giving greetings and support for the project. The Greene County High School Band and Cheer-Leaders performed several musical and dance numbers.

The initial $1.1 million will be spent on preparing the football field, constructing the track and field areas, and as much of the other facilities that the funds can be stretched to purchase. McKee and Associates of Montgomery, an architecture firm with experience designing schools and school facilities, has been contracted to provide architectural design and inspection services. Contractors will be asked to bid on elements of the project.

The Sports Complex Committee has been meeting regularly to discuss strategies to raise private funds from citizens, organizations, churches, business, and other sources to help match public funds that may become available for the project.

Leo Branch, President of the Greene County School Board, commented, “We want to have a way for everyone, from the smallest donors to the largest, to participate in helping to build this project. We plan to sell bricks or stones, which will be engraved with the names of donors, to construct walkways at the Sports Complex. We also want to offer large corporations that operate in our communities, like Love’s Truckstop, RockTenn, Alabama Power, Consolidated Catfish, Black Warrior Electric, Colonial Pipeline and others, the naming rights on the football field, buildings, and other facilities at the Sports Complex.”

Anyone interested in supporting the Sport Complex Committee may contact the Greene County Board of Education and Superintendent Corey Jones, at 220 Main Street, Eutaw, Al 35462, phone 205-372-3109.

 

Part of 20th anniversary celebration Black Belt Community Foundation moves to new office in Selma

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On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, the Board, staff, and supporters of the Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) moved from their previous office  to dedicate their new office at 410 Church Street in Selma, Alabama. The move, ribbon cutting, office tours, and street festival were all part of the foundation’s year-long 20th anniversary celebration.

The move from the 609 Lauderdale Street office to the new office, which is owned and has been renovated by BBCF was accomplished in a parade of the staff and leadership of the community foundation. They were accompanied by the Selma High School Band and Cheerleaders.

Felicia Lucky, BBCF President of the foundation, serving 12 counties that cut across the central part of the.” state, welcomed the crowd. They were assembled in a tent in the blocked off street in front of the new office. There were food trucks, a bounce-house and other games in the blocks of Church Street closed for the occasion. Lucky said, “People and communities are the central focus of our foundation and its activities. This new building will help us to accomplish our mission and better serve the community.

A proclamation was read from Alabama Governor Kay Ivey designating May 1 as Black Belt Community Foundation Day in Alabama.

Dr. Carol P. Zippert, founding Board chair of the foundation, was invited to make remarks. She said, “I am glad to be here to tell the story of the BBCF. We must always be ready to tell our own story.

“We, the 16 members of the organizing committee and first board, went through months of discussion and planning in 2003 and 2004 to develop the name, mission, logo, slogan, and plans for our own foundation. We went to visit each of the 12 counties, asking people about their assets and strengths, not their problems and deficiencies. We wanted to start our community foundation to build philanthropy from the grassroots, recognizing our community needs and ways the community could work together to fulfill those needs. After twenty years of work, we have begun to realize the promise and work of our community foundation.”

Former State Senator Hank Sanders, a Selma attorney, who was part of the formation of the foundation said that work on developing a foundation had begun for five years before the formal incorporation of BBCF. The idea for a community foundation came out of discussions of a “Selma Collaborative” which was an alliance of social justice non-profits in Selma and surrounding counties.

“Carol Zippert, who was serving on the Board of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, had visited with community foundations across the country, brought the idea to the Selma Collaborative, as a way to raise and assemble funding for community groups. Then we were contacted by Dr. David Wilson of Auburn and Julian Smith of the Alabama Power Company, who were also looking into the possibility of a community foundation to serve the Alabama Black Belt counties,” said Sanders.

“Our group in Selma, already had incorporated the BBCF Inc. to be a community foundation. We changed the name by dropping the Inc. and the BBCF was born and has moved forward ever since,” said Sanders. He also explained that the motto of the foundation, “Taking what we have, to make what we need”, came from a saying from his mother, who used it to encourage her large family of 13 children, when things got hard.

George McMillan, a former Lieutenant Governor of Alabama, who was an original BBCF Board member also attended and spoke. “We had days and days of meetings to work out the details and plans of BBCF. One thing that we can all be very proud of is our foundation in ‘community associates’ which guide and advise the foundation in every county, help to raise money, and serve as points of contact for people to communicate with the foundation. This is a unique element of BBCF’s structure and operations that other groups wishing to start community foundation have studied and tried to copy,” said McMillan.

Felicia Lucky introduced the current Board of Directors, the staff including Headstart Staff, Community Associates, and other supporters in attendance. She gave a check for $1,000 to the Selma High School Band Director for their participation and invited various ministers to give dedicatory prayers for the dedication. Then current and past board members
Assembled to officially cut a ribbon to open the new office.

Persons interested in learning more about, or to donate to, the Black Belt Community Foundation, may contact the BBCF at 410 Church Street in Selma, Alabama 36702; or by going online to their website at: blackbeltfound.org, or calling 334-874-1126.

Newswire : President Biden honors Medgar Evers

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Medgar Evers

Last week, President Biden named nineteen Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients, including posthumous recognition of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. He was the first NAACP Field Secretary in Mississippi. 

Mr. Evers worked to set up an NAACP office there. In the early 1960s, he organized high-profile boycotts of merchants in Jackson. In 1962, he instrumentalized the campaign to admit African American student James Meredith to the University of Mississippi.

Medgar Evers fought for his country in World War II and returned home to lead the fight against segregation in Mississippi. He was 37 when he was murdered at his home by Byron De La Beckwith.

Newswire : The UN issues warning for Sudan

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United Nations agencies issued a joint warning on Friday that time is running out to prevent starvation in Sudan’s Darfur region due to intensifying clashes around the northern capital of El Fasher, which are hindering efforts to deliver lifesaving aid.


Since fighting erupted last April between rival militaries, Sudan has witnessed shocking levels of violence, plunging the country into a devastating humanitarian and protection crisis.

Close to 25 million people – more than half the population – are estimated to need assistance, with approximately 17.7 million people facing “acute” levels of food insecurity.

The crisis, described as being of “epic proportions” by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is exacerbated by limited access to vulnerable communities due to ongoing fighting and authorities’ restrictions, particularly in Darfur, while the fighting rages on between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The latest escalation of violence around El Fasher has halted aid convoys from Chad’s Tine border crossing. Authorities in Port Sudan are preventing aid transport via Adre, the only other viable cross-border corridor from Sudan’s western neighbor.

Newswire : Louisiana Supreme Court approves formation of new, all-white, St. George City

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By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent


Deep-seated racial and economic tensions will be present in the new chapter of Baton Rouge’s history because of the Louisiana Supreme Court’s historic decision approving the creation of the City of St. George. The decision follows a protracted legal battle initiated by affluent white residents seeking to carve out their own municipality from the broader cityscape, citing concerns over governance, public safety, and educational quality.

Encompassing a sprawling 60-square-mile expanse in the southeast of East Baton Rouge Parish, St. George is poised to emerge as an autonomous entity with its own mayor and city council, catering to an estimated population of 86,000 residents. Advocates tout the move as necessary to address high crime rates and underperforming schools.

However, critics argue that the decision heralds the creation of a de facto segregated enclave, further entrenching racial and economic disparities within the Baton Rouge community. The polarizing debate underscores broader societal challenges and raises profound questions about equity and inclusion. It also has all the earmarks of America’s dark history of racial segregation, which preserves the economic advantages and social dominance of whites and the politically powerful, who have utilized legal and societal barriers to maintain their elite status over other communities. 

In Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963, an African American student protested segregation by sitting at a drugstore lunch counter designated for whites only. Demonstrators staged a famous protest at a Woolworth store in New York City in 1960 to denounce segregation at the chain’s Southern lunch counters.
Racial segregation has been pervasive worldwide among mixed-race communities, excluding regions like Hawaii and Brazil with significant racial integration. According to Brittanica, while social discrimination exists in these areas, formal segregation does not. Conversely, in the Southern United States, the segregation of Black and white individuals in public spaces was legally sanctioned from the late 1800s to the 1950s under the Jim Crow laws. In response, African Americans initiated the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s to dismantle racial segregation. The movement culminated in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which provided robust protections against discrimination and segregation in voting, education, and public facilities.
Meanwhile, the genesis of St. George dates back nearly 15 years, when residents initially sought to establish an independent school district. Over time, the ambition evolved into a broader push for municipal independence, culminating in a decisive 2019 ballot initiative in which 54 percent of residents voted in favor of incorporation.

Legal wrangling ensued, with Baton Rouge city officials contesting the move, warning of dire fiscal consequences and service disruptions. While lower courts initially sided with Baton Rouge, the state’s Supreme Court ultimately overturned their rulings, endorsing the viability of St. George’s internal budget to sustain essential public services.

Nevertheless, lingering concerns persist regarding the economic fallout. A 2014 study by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber projected a substantial budget deficit for the remaining portions of Baton Rouge, raising apprehensions about the city’s capacity to uphold public services post-separation.

“My goal from the very beginning—and it will always be my goal — is to advocate for a united Baton Rouge,” Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome told reporters. “I am committed to serving the residents of St. George.”