National

Chavis: Civil Rights Movement Needed More Now Than Five Decades Ago

Published

11 years ago

January 20, 2015

Oakland Post

Ben Chavis defends value of Black Press (Courtesy Photo)

Ben Chavis (Courtesy Photo)

By Nathan Hardin
Special to the NNPA from The Fayetteville Observer

PEMBROKE – Civil rights leader Benjamin Chavis kicked off a week-long Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration in Pembroke on Friday by saying a civil rights movement is of greater need in the state now than it was nearly five decades ago.

“One of the last things that Dr. King said before his assassination was that we must strive toward economic justice as well as racial justice,” Chavis said. “That’s certainly true. There’s too much poverty. Too many people are still near foreclosure. So we’ve got some work to do. I would say in 2015 we need a civil rights movement today more than we needed it years ago.”

Chavis, a native of Oxford, was an assistant to King, who inspired him to work in the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

Chavis was one of the Wilmington 10, nine black men and a white woman, who were convicted of fire-bombing a grocery store in Wilmington during racial unrest in 1971. The convictions were overturned based on evidence of perjury and prosecutorial misconduct. The group was later granted gubernatorial pardons.

During a VIP reception at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, the 66-year-old told students and faculty the state was divided into two North Carolinas.

“One progressive and one reactionary,” he said. “One going forward and one going backward.”

He commended the Rev. William Barber, who has led Moral Monday protests since spring 2013 in response to legislation passed by the Republican-led General Assembly.

“I think that we’re now celebrating the legacy and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King and certainly Dr. King’s legacy falls on the progressive side,” he said as he mingled with the crowd. “I’m hoping people use the 2015 King ceremonies to reaffirm the importance of inclusiveness.”

As a young teacher in Lumberton City Schools, Frances Cummings remembered following Chavis after the Wilmington 10.

“He empowered me with his ideas, his thoughts and his action,” she said. “As a result of listening and following him, it gave me strength to be a change agent, a shaper and mover – to make things better for the total population.”

Cummings, 73, saw firsthand school integration and discrimination in the late ’60s, she said, and used Chavis’ experience for motivation. She moved on from teaching school to a successful political career, serving in the N.C. House of Representatives.

“Fortunately or unfortunately, I helped to integrate the Lumberton City Schools, and it was my experiences there that caused me to be more determined for change,” she said. “To work with all people, to bring all people together for the good of the cause, which was what he was doing.”

Chavis also spoke directly to a group of students who were among the roughly 30 people in attendance Friday night.

“To all of the young students here, your college educations are probably the most important years of your life,” he said. “You’re not only laying an academic foundation, but you’re laying the foundation with how you’re going to interact with the larger world.”

Jamar Smith, a 21-year-old senior, said Chavis is a Phi Beta Sigma fraternity brother and said he came out to hear Chavis’ remarks on community service and the civil rights movement.

“Being able to listen to him as a fraternity brother who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King and to see where he’s come from and all the work he’s done kind of gives us a second wind to push forward and to use what he’s done and to try to implement it today in our work and our service,” Smith said.

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Activism

Six Months in, Probate Reform Coalition Marks Progress in Protecting Elders From Financial Abuse

Despite the cited obstacles, NPRC has made some promising inroads towards their mission. NPRC has identified that nationwide the Attorneys General must be engaged and encouraged to implement oversight, protection and enforcement of the law; members find support from each other as they advocate for redress via “letters of compassion” sent to judges, nursing facilities and law enforcement agencies and members are instructed on their rights, how to take constructive action to protect those rights through access to resources that allow them to intelligently represent themselves in court.

Published

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June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

NPRC member Stewart E. Handte, a former Mineral County, Nevada, Sheriff and 27-year veteran of police work, currently wears an ankle monitor after he was arrested on kidnapping charges for helping his friend, Roger Hilligus, remove Hilligus’ mother, Susan Hilligus, from a nursing facility after finding her bruised and neglected. NPRC has submitted a “Letter of Compassion” for both Handte and Hilligus requesting that charges be dropped. Courtesy photo.

By Tanya Dennis

The National Probate Reform Coalition, a loose-knit national coalition of advocates, victims, and families dedicated to protecting elder rights, especially within the probate court system, was formed by the Post Newspaper Group (PNG) after more than a decade of reporting on the mistreatment of elders and the plunder of their estates.

In response, PNG Publisher Paul Cobb set in motion a series of monthly town halls to address the problem and propose workable solutions, designating it a “year of action.”

At six months, the coalition has attracted families, advocates, and experts across the nation whose strategies have proven effective in their respective states, and who are moving forward collectively with the mission of engaging judicial, legislative, and enforcement agencies to ensure elders are not exploited or abused.

“The issue of elder abuse is multi-layered”, says NPRC planning committee member Venus Gist. “Elders are our most vulnerable population, next to children, and they are easily exploited by strangers, their own family members, and the judicial system designed to protect them.”

Since January, NPRC has, via monthly virtual meetings held on the first Thursday of each month, clearly defined the issues and formulated workable solutions that can be implemented nationwide.

“There are amazing laws on the books that protect elders and their assets,” said NPRC member Zakiya Jendayi. “The problem is they are ignored, and that lack of oversight has led to systemic abuse in the Probate Court system, not just in Alameda County, but nationwide.

“The scary part is the collusion and wall of silence NPRC has encountered when reaching out to the Judicial Council, legislators, and the State Bar for assistance. It’s so obvious that one hand is washing the other, that they’re protecting each other, that it’s difficult to initiate any type of meaningful reform much less dialogue.”

Stacy Drake, a Texas member, says, “I’ve been looking for help for over 10 years with my situation, and I finally found it within the NPRC coalition. God answered my prayers.”

Broadening its reach within Alameda County, NPRC has invited Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to assist with outreach, education, and resolution.

“We hope to host an elder abuse/elder protection symposium annually, if not twice a year, to let our elders know that Alameda County and the City of Oakland are a safe place, a place where in their golden years they have no worries regarding exploitation and abuse,” said Cobb. “Society is defined by how the care for its children and elders.”

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UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

9 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps!

Watch the long-form video https://youtu.be/YANxGwD2CjI Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation
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Published

15 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Oakland Post

Watch the long-form video

Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation

The post Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps! appeared first on BlackPressUSA.