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COMMENTARY: What Can America Do to Ease Its Fears?

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “The story of the abolition of slavery in the aftermath of the Civil War is familiar, as is the civil rights revolution that transformed the nation after World War II,” noted Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. “But the century in between remains a mystery,” he continued. “If emancipation came in Lincoln’s America, why was it necessary to march in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s America?”
The post COMMENTARY: What Can America Do to Ease Its Fears? first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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

Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has long examined America’s hatred toward African Americans, recently noting a profound new rendering of the struggle by African Americans for equality after the Civil War and the violent counterrevolution that re-subjugated them, as seen through the prism of the war of images and ideas that have left an enduring stain on the American psyche.

“The story of the abolition of slavery in the aftermath of the Civil War is familiar, as is the civil rights revolution that transformed the nation after World War II,” Gates wrote in a white paper.

“But the century in between remains a mystery,” he noted. “If emancipation came in Lincoln’s America, why was it necessary to march in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s America?”

Further, 54 years after King’s assassination, white supremacy remains on the rise with the merciless Tops supermarket murders of 10 African Americans and even the heartless killings of 19 predominantly Latino students at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

HIT Strategies, Washington D.C.’s leading millennial and minority-owned public opinion research company, issued its latest survey of Black Americans, “Reducing Racism and Discrimination.”

The company said reducing racism and discrimination counts as the “number two” issue for Black voters, behind only inflation and, previously, COVID-19.

HIT officials noted that reducing racism consistently ranks among the top three priorities. Black voters want their elected leaders to address this.

“[The Topps Supermarket] shooting represented racism in its most violent and craven form,” added Terrance Woodbury, founding partner at HIT Strategies.

“However, Black voters have long recognized how the culture-war politics and its racist rhetoric fuels animus toward Black Americans. Black voters want their elected leaders to respond to racism head-on, not just in reaction to tragedies. This is a political and moral imperative.”

One African American male told HIT researchers that “underneath the insurrection, which was the actual event, it was just white backlash. This was the same as the burning of Tulsa. This was the same as all the things.”

An unidentified Black woman added: “I think with Donald Trump coming in and leaving, it woke up a lot of things that were buried, like racism, it’s still alive.”

Jeremy Clifford, founder, and CEO of Router CTRL, a fast-growing website in the technology market, insisted that America’s hate problem remains deep-rooted and complex.

“Several factors contribute to it, including our history, culture, and politics,” Clifford stated. “America has a long history of hate. From the days of slavery to the Jim Crow era, from the Civil Rights Movement to today, America has seen its fair share of hate. And while we like to think that we’ve come a long way since then, the truth is that much of our history is still with us today.”

Clifford continued, noting that “we live in a culture that is built on competition and individualism. We are a nation of winners and losers, and we often see others as threats to our success. This can lead to fear and suspicion, which can turn into hate.”

“Finally, our politics also contribute to our hate problem. Our political system is based on a winner-take-all. We are a country divided between red and blue, and we often see those on the other side as our enemies. This division can lead to anger and hate.”

TEDx speaker Milagros Phillips said she believes America repeatedly looks in the wrong areas to solve its hate history.

“Whenever something racially charged happens, everyone turns to people of color to solve it. Racism is a problem for people of color. It is not the problem of people of color,” Phillips asserted.

“Hundreds of years of racial conditioning, through violence, scapegoating, and the dehumanization of Black and Brown people have led to the anger, hatred, and dysfunction we experience today.

“But don’t be fooled. That hatred is not today. It’s hundreds of years in the making and practice. Proof of that is the lynching and burnings that have continued.”

Author and human rights activist Tara Teng suggested that America has not solved its hate problem because the nation hasn’t learned how to reconnect with humanity.

“We crave power more than we crave connection to our fellow humans, and this same misalignment of priorities is what America was built upon,” Teng determined.

“It is our origin story. From colonization and genocide to slavery, segregation, and Jim Crow, America has taken every opportunity to use the body as justification for oppression and cruelty.”

Teng continued:

“In the name of power and supremacy, we look to ‘the good old days,’ an idealized past in which tradition and nostalgia were built on the backs of body-based oppression – legislating racism, ableism, and homophobia against anyone who was not powerful and white.

“These power struggles are why Critical Race Theory is banned in schools, legislation is debated in the halls, and bodies are targeted by gun violence in the streets. Our hate has become embodied within us and because some benefit from it, we refuse to spit the poison out of our mouths.”

What can America do to ease its fears?

Phillips, the TEDx speaker, said treating the trauma would help.

“These horrific things happen to people of color, but no one moves in with the cadre of psychiatrists to treat the trauma,” Phillips remarked.

“We should also treat for justice. White perpetrators of violence are treated differently than perpetrators of color. A white mass shooter can be captured alive and not even handcuffed. Soon after they are captured, the news quickly announces they have a mental health condition.

“Meanwhile, a perpetrator of color is more likely to end up shot dead in a confrontation, and rarely is their mental health part of their defense.”

Phillips concluded that self-care could help Black Americans in particular.

“Because there is very little treatment for Black people’s continual trauma, we will have to learn to self-care,” Phillips maintained.

“There are some wonderful exercises to help with anxiety, fear, and coming down from trauma.”

The post COMMENTARY: What Can America Do to Ease Its Fears? first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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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.

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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.

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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 …
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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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