National

Baltimoreans Reflect on Freddie Gray and Their City

Published

11 years ago

April 28, 2015

Family members of Freddie Gray, sister Fredricka Gray, left, mother Gloria Darden, center, and stepfather Richard Shipley listen during a news conference after a day of unrest following the funeral of Freddie Gray on Monday, April 27, 2015, in Baltimore. Rioters plunged part of Baltimore into chaos torching a pharmacy, setting police cars ablaze and throwing bricks at officers. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

by E.R. Shipp
Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspaper

Between the bodacious demands of young people practically demanding that York Road motorists honk their horns to honor Freddie Gray and the curiosity of a young boy asking his buddies, “Did you see the body yet?”, many of those gathered at the Vaughn Greene Funeral Home Sunday afternoon were in the mood to reflect.

Sitting near the rear of the chapel, Milton Stokes spoke of the boy he knew in Pop Warner football when Gray played for the Sandtown Wolverines and later at Carver High when Stokes played linebacker and Gray played wide receiver. They were members of Carver’s Class of 2008. “

He was a great kid. He had a lot of jokes, a lot of friends. Never got in no trouble in high school.”

The Freddie Carlos Gray being remembered was not the one depicted in cold court files as someone arrested more than a dozen times on drug charges.

Looking toward the small, almost unnatural looking figure in the open casket that scores of people walked past, Stokes, who now lives in Owings Mills and works in construction, could not figure out why so many police officers thought it necessary to take him down with such force – and how his encounter with them left him dead with a broken spine.

“It’s not just Freddie Gray,” Stokes said quietly. Because abuses “have been going on for years,” he said, “the city should reconsider who they hire as policemen.”

And then, like so many people inside the chapel and outside, he had a story to tell about unwarranted harassment by the police. In his case, it has happened when he was standing on a Sandtown corner visiting friends. He agrees with his pastor, the Rev, Jamal Bryant of Empowerment Temple that 95 percent of the police are probably doing the right thing. “The bad ones make it look bad for the good ones we have.”

When 34-yeear-old Yvonne Smith last saw Gray, he had told her: “You need to get yourself together.” That was more than seven-and-a-half months ago, when she was still abusing heroin, methadone and prescription drugs. “Before I had an opportunity to show him and tell him that I took his advice, he was gone.”

Smith said she and Gray grew up together in Gilmor Homes. “He never thought I would go down that path of life that I did, but he never judged me,” she said. Smith, who said she is now in school pursuing an associate’s degree, describes a Freddie Gray who was “always willing to lend a helping hand.”

Others who came to pay their respects did not know Freddie Gray or his family but felt compelled by those “there but for the grace of God” incidents in their own lives.

Shawnell Booker, 22-year-old nursing assistant who lives in Park Heights, said a cousin reached a settlement with the city after being beaten by the police and that she was pulled out of a car and roughed up by an undercover officer last June. But these experiences have convinced her to become politically active “in every election, big and small.”

“My generation, people my age, I think we need to step up. We get enraged and it blows over and we don’t get enraged until something else happens,” she said. “We should step out of that mind frame that we’ll stand in line for Jordans and, you know, stand up for our rights because they don’t take us seriously.”

Eric Brown Jr., 25, has reached a similar conclusion. As he held his 2-year-old niece, Dream Byrd, he waved a sign and yelled at drivers passing by, “Justice for Freddie!”

Brown, who lives a couple of blocks from the funeral home, explained that the “justice for Freddie” actions marked his first time taking such a public stand. “Something’s got to change,” he said. “We can’t keep allowing this police brutality against our young Black brothers.”

Andre Kennedy, who came to the wake to pray for his community and his city, agrees. But the 47-year-old life-long resident of West Baltimore, who describes himself as a former drug addict, dealer and thief who has been arrested and convicted “numerous times,” does not view police solely as enemies. He points to where Black people have been killed by other Blacks, “slaughtered by street violence.” Nearby, he recalled, 3-year-old McKenzie Elliott was gunned down in crossfire while sitting on a porch. That has convinced him that most people still rely on the police to protect them.

“If the majority of us go back to our homes this evening and things are violated and somebody has been wronged or hurt, we’re going to call 9-1-1. We’re going to call them,” he insisted. “So should we really always shift the blame to one arena or should we begin to look at all arenas?”

While most of those who came out for Freddy Gray and for their city were Black, a noticeable group of White Baltimoreans stood vigilantly in front of the Govans post office building across from the funeral home, holding their own homemade signs with messages like, “Baltimore Is One City” and “We Remember Freddie” and “Black Lives Matter.”

Shannon Curran was there with her husband Joseph Capista, and their children, Moira, 6 and Aoife, 2. Veterans of anti-capital punishment and anti-war campaigns, Curran explained their support for the Gray family. “We’re one human family and they’re part of our family,” she said. “This is a loss to everyone and hopefully a tipping point for there to be some real transformation.”

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Ann Lowe: The Quiet Genius of American Couture

Lowe was born in Clayton, Alabama, into a family of gifted seamstresses. Her mother and grandmother were well-known dressmakers who created exquisite gowns for women in the area. By the time Lowe was a young girl, she was already showing extraordinary talent — cutting, sewing, and decorating fabric with a skill that far exceeded her age. When her mother died unexpectedly, Lowe – only 16 years old then – took over her mother’s sewing business, completing all the orders herself.

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Photo courtesy of National Archives.

By Tamara Shiloh

Ann Cole Lowe, born Dec.14, 1898, was a pioneering American fashion designer whose extraordinary talent shaped some of the most widely recognized and celebrated gowns in U.S. history.

Although she designed dresses for society’s wealthiest families and created masterpieces worn at historic events, Lowe spent much of her life in the shadows — uncredited, underpaid, yet unmatched in skill. Today, she is celebrated as one of the first nationally recognized African American fashion designers and a true visionary in American couture.

In 1917, Lowe moved to New York City to study at the S.T. Taylor Design School. Although she was segregated from White students and forced to work separately, she, of course, excelled, graduating earlier than expected. Her instructors quickly recognized that her abilities were far above the typical student, especially her skill in hand-sewing, applique, and intricate floral embellishment – techniques that would become her signature.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, she designed gowns for high-society women in Florida and New York, operating boutiques and working for prestigious department stores. Her reputation for craftsmanship, originality, and elegance grew increasingly. She was known for creating gowns that moved beautifully, featured delicate hand-made flowers, and looked sculpted rather than sewn. Many wealthy clients specifically requested “an Ann Lowe gown” for weddings, balls, and galas.

Her most famous creation came in 1953: the wedding gown worn by Jacqueline Bouvier when she married Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy. The dress – crafted from ivory silk taffeta with dozens of tiny, pleated rosettes – became one of the most photographed bridal gowns in American history. Despite this achievement, Lowe received no public credit at the time. When a flood destroyed her completed gowns 10 days before the wedding, she and her seamstresses worked day and night to remake everything – at her own expense. Her dedication and perfectionism never wavered.

She eventually opened “Ann Lowe Originals,” her own salon on New York’s Madison Avenue. She served clients such as the Rockefellers, DuPonts, Vanderbilts, and actresses like Olivia de Havilland. Yet even with her wealthy clientele, she struggled financially, often undercharging because she wanted every dress to be perfect, even if it meant losing money.

Lowe’s contributions were finally recognized later in life. Today, her exquisite gowns are preserved in museums, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In the last five years of her life, Lowe lived with her daughter Ruth in Queens, N.Y. She died at her daughter’s home on Feb. 25, 1981, at the age of 82, after an extended illness.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 10 – 16, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 10 – 16, 2025

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Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

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Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

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One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.