#NNPA BlackPress
COMMENTARY: Calling Out Racism, White Supremacy and White Nationalism is More Vital Than Ever
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The press is the only privately-owned institution specifically mentioned by name in the U.S. Constitution. Our words have power and powerful words have a responsibility to speak truth to those that are listening. Telling the truth, in its entirety, is the most objective stance any journalist can take on any subject.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
The spectre of white nationalists, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and others that wrongly maintain that the American flag and free speech provide them with moral justification and protection for their abhorrent behaviors, has seen too many journalists frame their inadequate coverage under a cloak of “objectivity.” Journalism is reverting to the impersonal mode of coverage that chronicled the civil rights movement: The Spectator’s Perspective.
That the President of the United States can get away with telling four American citizens and congresswomen of color to “go back to your country,” reminds too many black journalists of a strikingly similar message from Alabama Governor George Wallace, a Democrat, more than 50 years ago.
During his 1963 inaugural speech, Wallace said: “I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever.”
In its All Things Considered and Radio Diariesseries, NPR called the speech, “A fiery pledge forgiven, but not forgotten.”
“Reflecting on his response to the speech at the time,” writes NPR, “Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat, originally from Alabama, says he took Wallace’s words personally. ‘My governor, this elected official, was saying in effect, you are not welcome, you are not welcome. Words can be very powerful. Words can be dangerous,’ Lewis says. ‘Gov. Wallace never pulled a trigger. He never fired a gun. But in his speech, he created the environment for others to pull the trigger, in the days, the weeks and months to come.’”
Reporting both sides of a viewpoint may enable a publication to boast about high journalistic standards but ignoring larger truths in the process nullifies any benefits gained.
Earlier this month, while in the midst of a rant-by-racist-tweet barrage from the fingertips of President Trump, the New York Timesran the headline, “Trump Urges Unity vs. Racism.” Many Timesreaders reacted by threatening to cancel their subscription.
The press is the only privately-owned institution specifically mentioned by name in the U.S. Constitution. Our words have power and powerful words have a responsibility to speak truth to those that are listening. Telling the truth, in its entirety, is the most objective stance any journalist can take on any subject.
The race to present white-leaning objectivity in news coverage leads large institutions, like the New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, and others, to bestow credence and importance through their coverage – or lack thereof – to the hate speech and acts taking place during today’s resurgence of the civil rights movement.
Mainstream press’ coverage also serves as a reminder that people of color, whose realities, life stories and viewpoints have resulted in a different standard for objectivity, are often best served by the Black Press.
While the nation heralded the bravery of reporters who were embedded with front line troops during the war in Viet Nam, the first to be covered by television, few knew the names of the many black journalists who risked their lives to expose the truth of the criminal-level hatred that filled the pages of the Black Press during the same period of our history.
Similarly, it’s important that black journalists and other journalists of color apply our unique insights and perspectives to confront and report the truth of our modern and increasingly racist hate-filled era.
“It appears that way because we are witnessing the dismantling of so many important pillars of our system of government,” said Madison Paige, the founder and CEO of Bold Blue Campaigns, a grassroots-supported political consultancy.
“Regardless of what political party you affiliate with, what we see under the current administration is recognizably destructive. It stands to send the country back, not decades, but centuries,” Paige said.
However, “the Black Press of America is saying, ‘No, this is unacceptable, and we won’t go back,’” she said.
Many are realizing that the myth of white supremacy is easily debunked, said Essence Cohen Fields, a Pennsylvania-based licensed professional counselor.
“The increased violence and blatant expression of hate, is a direct correlation to the white supremacists’ fear of being viewed as, dare I say, equal, and people are no longer getting their information from one or two sources,” said Fields.
The Black Press now has a global connection that has allowed for a restoration of pride in being of African descent, which is uncomfortable for some, she said.
Since the founding of the Black Press 192 years ago, African American-owned newspapers have served their communities in a way no other publications have.
Often operating on shoe-string budgets, understaffed, and working with other severe limitations, the Black Press always has maintained its mission as the Voice of Black America.
That tradition has held through many transitions – through the aftermath of slavery, the Jim Crow Era and the Civil Rights Movement.
The Black Press also continues to call out racism, which mainstream newspapers have either failed to do, or whose response has been tepid when compared to the magnitude of the crisis.
White supremacists hold as big of a platform as they have had since the civil rights movement, said Nikita Banks, a psychotherapist, clinical social worker, and host of the Black Therapist Podcast.
“Newsrooms are biased against people of color. diversity in the media is necessary more than ever,” Banks said. “But we also have to create a resurgence of our black publications and cultivate a space where they not only exist but thrive again,” she said.
#NNPA BlackPress
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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