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IN MEMORIAM: Remembering the life of Lawrence Lacks Sr.

By Aria Brent, AFRO Staff Writer, abrent@afro.com On Sept. 13 people gathered from far and wide at Faith Christian Fellowship to celebrate the life and legacy of Lawrence Lacks Sr. The patriarch of the Lacks family died from liver disease complications at the Baltimore VA Medical Center on Aug. 26. Lacks was 88 years old […]
The post IN MEMORIAM: Remembering the life of Lawrence Lacks Sr. first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

October 29, 2023

AFRO Staff

By Aria Brent,
AFRO Staff Writer,
abrent@afro.com

On Sept. 13 people gathered from far and wide at Faith Christian Fellowship to celebrate the life and legacy of Lawrence Lacks Sr. The patriarch of the Lacks family died from liver disease complications at the Baltimore VA Medical Center on Aug. 26.

Lacks was 88 years old and the last living child of Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman whose cervical cancer cells were taken without her permission or knowledge in 1951. Known as the “HeLa” cells, they went on to be used in a series of medical experiments and breakthroughs, including research to develop vaccines for polio, COVID-19 and in vitro fertilization.

“Lawrence’s life without a doubt is a testament to an enduring spirit of resilience, humility, love and respect,” said U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, as he recalled Lacks’ life. “Lawrence, you went on to serve your country, distinguish yourself, be a small business owner, break barriers at Amtrak and never let go of the memories that so many of us shared in Turner Station. And you never let go of your commitment to make sure that your mother’s legacy would be honored.”

Lacks’ death came only three weeks after the family’s first legal settlement with the Massachusetts-based biotech company Thermo Fisher Scientific for profiting off the use of his mother’s cells.

The Lacks family moved to Maryland from Clover, Va., when Lawrence was just a young boy. They lived in Turner Station, one of the oldest Black communities in the Baltimore County area. Once his mother became ill and even before her death he was responsible for taking care of his younger siblings, but that was no task for him. He was remembered as a selfless, reliable and kind-hearted person.

“He was a stately man of great character and presence,” said the Rev. Dr. Franklin Lance, senior at Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church. “Lawrence made his days count. He made his voice and advocacy count. He made his patriarchal role count. He made his life count.”

“He was so grounded in his life, in his duties, his abilities and in who he was, that I often kept waiting for him to pull back his shirt so the ‘S’ would show,” Lance said, making a reference to the fictional hero Superman. “He was a man of accountability and he took his responsibilities seriously.”

The minister read the obituary for the homegoing ceremony and recapped the many accomplishments Lacks had throughout the years. He was a graduate of Baltimore City Public Schools and served in the U.S. Army as a medic. Once he returned home from serving in the military, he worked at Bethlehem Steel Yard and then went on the blaze trails at Amtrak by working as the first Black engineer for the national railroad passenger corporation.

On Feb. 26, 1962, he married his wife, Bobbette and they had three children, Ron, LaDonna and Lawrence Jr. Following his retirement from Amtrak, he and his wife opened a series of businesses, including an insurance agency, a confectionary store and Lacks Meats Palace. However, Lacks is most recognized for having spent the majority of his life relentlessly fighting for justice and ownership of his mother’s “HeLa” cells and, above all, his family’s name.

“What happened to Henrietta Lacks was a symptom of what happened to so many Blacks. What made them (the Lacks family) great was not her suffering; what made them great was that they would not allow her suffering to go unaddressed,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton during his eulogy of Lacks.

Lacks and his family spoke with the AFRO in 2017 to tell their side of the story regarding the fight for justice and Henrietta Lacks’ legacy.

There was a series of speakers at Lawrence Lacks’ service, and they all talked in grave detail about how personable and humble Lacks was despite his résumé of monumental achievements.

“You learn that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things and sometimes your familiarity to them robs you of their greatness. The Lacks family should not be taken for granted,” said Sharpton. “This man had endurance and tenacity in everything he did and he didn’t have to be a show-off to do it.”

Mfume shared similar sentiments, saying that Lacks had a timeless influence that will continue to be felt in the Baltimore community.

“Our community and our state have lost an unsung hero. A man of great character, strength and compassion. And in remembering him I hope and I pray that we will find a way to be comforted by words in the Bible,” Mfume said. “In John 14:2 [it says], ‘In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.’”

Lacks is survived by a plethora of family and friends including his six children, their spouses, and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family.

The post Remembering the life of Lawrence Lacks Sr. appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers .

This article originally appeared in The Afro.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Remembering the life of Lawrence Lacks Sr. first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

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Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

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He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

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Oakland Post

Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
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The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
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AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

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The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY