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Baseball Legend Helping to Rebuild Africatown

NNPA NEWSWIRE — AfricaTown is the home of some of the last survivors of the transatlantic slave trade and the birthplace of legendary New York Mets outfielder Cleon Jones, who caught the final out in the 1969 World Series that clinched victory for the Miracle Mets. Through their charitable “Last Out Community Foundation,” Jones and his wife of more than 50 years, Angela, help repair storm-damaged homes in Africatown and assist the small community in rebuilding efforts.
The post Baseball Legend Helping to Rebuild Africatown first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

October 12, 2022

Stacy M. Brown

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

AfricaTown is considered a dying municipality in Alabama that sits along the Gulf Coast and next to Mobile.

At its peak, Africatown had about 12,000 residents. Now, about 1,800 call it home. It is famous – or infamous – for the Clotilda, the last slave ship that landed in the United States in 1860.

It is the home of some of the last survivors of the transatlantic slave trade and the birthplace of legendary New York Mets outfielder Cleon Jones, who caught the final out in the 1969 World Series that clinched victory for the Miracle Mets.

Through their charitable “Last Out Community Foundation,” Jones and his wife of more than 50 years, Angela, help repair storm-damaged homes in Africatown and assist the small community in rebuilding efforts.

Jones, 78, actively participates in the efforts.

“Like I tell my wife, I’m old, but I’m not dead. I can walk up the ladder and do what needs to be done,” Jones remarked. “In my younger days, I could walk up the ladder, but I could jump off the house getting down. I can’t jump off the house anymore. Now I walk down the ladder. I have to be careful.”

The “Last Out Community Foundation” was formed to raise funds to refurbish and build affordable homes, combat blight, and provide positive youth programs in Africatown.

Growing up in the small community during the 1940s and 1950s left a mark on him, stated Jones, who credits greats like Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, and Billy Williams for helping to shape the person he became – one who, despite his success, never forgot his roots.

“We service the community by painting houses and restoring houses,” Jones told the New York Post.

“And since the storms (Hurricanes Sally and Zeta), we’ve had a lot of roof problems in which the storms blew the roof off.

“When I grew up in this community, we had 12- to 14,000 people. Now we are looking at 1,800. That says we are a dying community. I know I can’t replicate the community, but we can still fight to restore it as best we can and preserve the history of the community.”

Jones is best remembered as a vital member of the 1969 Mets.

During the 1960s, the Mets had a reputation for frequent losses, suffering a record 120 defeats in their debut year of 1962.

In their first six years, the Mets lost an average of 108 games. But, in 1969, the underdog Mets launched themselves into the 1969 World Series and the history books when against all odds, they miraculously defeated the mighty Baltimore Orioles.

Jones closed his glove on the final out, a flyball by the Orioles’ Davey Johnson that sent all of New York into a celebration.

Now, Jones wants to celebrate giving others in his beloved community a second chance.

“It takes money and manpower and materials, all of those things,” Jones said.

“What I’ve been doing is reaching out to businesses in the area seeking materials and help to do certain things. The people, they reach out to you — maybe not as much as you would like or hope, but they hear you. With the pandemic, it just adds fuel to the fire. You don’t get a chance to shake hands with people and reach out to them where you can make things happen.”

Click here to donate to the Last Out Community Foundation.

The post Baseball Legend Helping to Rebuild Africatown first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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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

3 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.

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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

3 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.

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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.