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IN MEMORIAM: Russell Bertrand Sugarmon Jr. – civil rights ‘giant’

NNPA NEWSWIRE — As a member of the Memphis Branch NAACP, Mr. Sugarmon was instrumental in using the law to fight legal battles to desegregate public transportation, schools and restaurants. A graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, Rutgers University and Harvard Law School, he became a judge in 1987 and was re-elected numerous times.

Published

5 years ago

February 24, 2019

Oakland Post

By Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell, Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Tributes to civil rights “giant” and attorney, Russell Bertrand Sugarmon Jr. flooded the Internet Monday as news spread quickly of his death.

One of the most touching tributes came from his daughter, Elena DeCosta Williams, who took to Facebook to express her love and admiration.

“To the world, he was Judge Russell B. Sugarmon, Jr. To me, he was Dad. He was a tireless civil rights warrior who fought for equality and humanity throughout Tennessee and across the Nation.”

Mr. Sugarmon, 89,was one of a group of African Americans who made the first serious bid for a major city office in Memphis, opening the door for future black leaders. He became the second African-American elected to the Tennessee General Assembly after Reconstruction as a state representative.

As a member of the Memphis Branch NAACP, Mr. Sugarmon was instrumental in using the law to fight legal battles to desegregate public transportation, schools and restaurants. A graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, Rutgers University and Harvard Law School, he became a judge in 1987 and was re-elected numerous times.

State Rep. G.A. Hardaway, chairman of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators said, “Judge Sugarmon’s accomplishments obviously make him a Memphis icon. But in addition to all of the career accolades, it should be noted what an extraordinary husband, father, grandfather, friend and human being he was.

“Everything he stood for in his public life, he also demonstrated in his private life,” Hardaway said. “Russell Sugarmon was a humble, kind and good man. The members of Tennessee Black Caucus are grateful for the generation of giants of conviction, advocacy and activism that made it possible for us to serve today. ”

Colleague and long-time, personal friend, Mike Cody, remembered Mr. Sugarmon as “a strong Democratic power broker and civil rights giant.”

“I met Russ in 1960 when he came to work for Birch Porter & Johnson. He was chairman of the Democratic Party back in those days. Back then, he and A.W. Willis were a team. They, along with Dr. Ben Hooks, broke down so many walls of segregation.”

Cody, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, said Mr. Sugarmon left his mark on this city “as well as all of us. And I tell you, this city owes a great debt of gratitude for his contributions toward making us all better.”

Congressman Steve Cohen released a statement Monday afternoon, saying, Mr. Sugarmon was a political genius who “guided many campaigns to victory and always fought the good fight. He worked tirelessly even when victory wasn’t in the cards and kept the faith, knowing that it would be down the line.

“Russell Sugarmon was one of the most learned people on politics and history in our community,” Cohen noted, referring to Mr. Sugarmon as a mentor, supporter and friend. “His influence cannot be overstated. Collaborations with a biracial group of Memphians and his progressive leadership has made Memphis the city it is today.”

Painting a picture

In 1946, Mr. Sugarmon graduated from Booker T. Washington High School at age 15. Drawing upon his online biography, this fuller picture emerges:

Mr. Sugarmon was born May 11, 1929, the year of America’s stock market crash, in Memphis to Russell and Lessye Hank Sugarmon. He grew up in South Memphis and attended Co-Operative Grammar School.

After graduating from BTW, he attended Morehouse College for one year. He received an A.B. in Political Science from Rutgers University in 1950. In 1953 he received a law degree from Harvard Law School and attended Boston University‘s Graduate School of Finance.

He practiced as an attorney in Memphis in the firm Ratner, Sugarmon, Lucas, Willis and Caldwell. In 1959, Mr. Sugarmon ran for Public Works Commissioner, the first African-American in Memphis to run for a major city office.

According the biography, the outgoing commissioner, Henry Loeb, forced most of the other candidates to withdraw from the election, so as not to split the white vote among several candidates. Bill Ferris, the only white man remaining on the ballot, won the post.

Sugarmon served in the Tennessee House of Representatives as a Democrat from the 11th District from 1967 to 1969.

Mr. Sugarmon’s son, Tarik B. Sugarmon, is a Memphis City Court judge who in 2014 ran for Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court, and presently serves as the Division Two Judge in Memphis Municipal Courts.

Taking note of “one of the greatest civil rights leaders,” Memphis Branch NAACP President Deidre Malone said Mr. Sugarmon was “a major supporter of the NAACP. He spent a great deal of his time in court, before he became a judge, working to get NAACP Memphis Branch members out of jail.

“Judge Sugarmon has left a legacy for public service for others to follow,” Malone said. “He will be missed. We offer condolences and prayers to the Sugarmon family.”

Mr. Sugarmon’s daughter completed her online tribute to her father with this:

“To me, he was the man who looked down on a 12 year old little girl with braces, glasses and pimples and told her she was beautiful. He was the man who held me when I cried, whose eyes lit up whenever I walked into the room, who always made me feel like a shining star in his eyes.

“I wish every little girl could have a father as sweet and wonderful and kind as the one I was Blessed with…..I love you so very much Dad and I always will…”

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.