#NNPA BlackPress
Black History Told in Bronze
By Clint Confehr PULASKI, TN — Many African-Americans are the descendants of “brave warriors” despite a misconception that all Black folks’ ancestors were enslaved, a retired educator says, emphasizing that lesson in bronze. “I’m putting a statue up to let Black boys and girls know that we are not just descendants of slaves,” Vivian Sims, […]
The post Black History Told in Bronze appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.
The post Black History Told in Bronze first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Clint Confehr
PULASKI, TN — Many African-Americans are the descendants of “brave warriors” despite a misconception that all Black folks’ ancestors were enslaved, a retired educator says, emphasizing that lesson in bronze.
“I’m putting a statue up to let Black boys and girls know that we are not just descendants of slaves,” Vivian Sims, 94, says as unveiling of the statue is scheduled for June 17th in Cave Springs Park, 204 Spear St.
An 11 a.m. unveiling is planned for the statue — “Resurrection of Valor” — that faces North First Street (U.S. Highway 31). It’s 0.4 miles north of the Giles County Courthouse.
“I’m very appreciative that they had faith in me to to tell their story in bronze,” said sculptor Pamela Sue Keller.
Sims says Keller “made the most gorgeous statue with the boy looking up at the soldier.”
During 1991-1998, Sims was the principal of Southside Elementary School where Keller’s children attended and were befriended by the Pulaski educator whose latest lesson will outlast opposition to Black history in public schools.
Nearly 2,400 U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) forced Confederate soldiers from Fort Hill above Cave Springs Park, she said. Many USCT soldiers settled in Pulaski rather than return to a plantation. There were: 20,000 Blacks fighting the Confederacy in Tennessee; 200,000 in the South.
“It is because of those brave warriors that the Union won the war,” Sims says. “After slavery … White people don’t want Black people to know that. So, when the boys, in particular, grow up, they have no self esteem.”
Originally from New York City, Sims was a Fulbright Exchange Teacher before she married, moved to Pulaski and learned it’s where the Ku Klux Klan was formed. Disconcerted but undaunted, she taught school and realized African American boys had low test scores, were “lackadaisical” and “gave the most discipline problems.” As a principal, she found they had normal IQs, so she recruited “buddies” for them. Test scores improved with mentoring by married Black men with families, jobs and community success.
Nearly two years ago, Sims was named to the Pulaski City Council’s Community Advisory Council on Inclusive Recognition and Acknowledgement. Panelists were asked for suggestions. Sims recommended and council members agreed to honor the USCT. Inspired by a USCT statue in Franklin, she advocated a statue. She’s described by Keller as “the main patron of the sculpture.”
Sims is spending proceeds from a house sale decades ago. The money grew at a credit union.
“Everybody on the committee was satisfied” with the statue plan, Sims said. “God helped me find a way to tell my people…”
The retired educator’s enduring lesson flows from personal conversations. She visited Murfreesboro’s Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center and obtained names of USCT soldiers who occupied Pulaski as the Cvil War ended. “So, anytime I found a group of African Americans together,” she said, “I would take out my paper with the 2,400 names and I’d ask, ‘What’s your last name?’ They’d tell me and I’d look up their ancestor. Everywhere, nobody knew anything about the USCT even though 2,400 camped here. It’s why the north end of Pulaski is Black.”
Local leaders know Pulaski’s history can’t be changed. They’ve sought reconciliation for decades. “Resurrection of Valor” is another step. See VisitPulaski.com. Nearly a quarter century ago, merchants with stores around the courthouse closed during annual Klan parades and white heritage festivals. This year’s Juneteenth celebration includes a June 18 NAACP march and t-shirts displaying the original drawing of the statue at Cave Springs Park.
The post Black History Told in Bronze appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.
The post Black History Told in Bronze first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
#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.
#NNPA BlackPress
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.
#NNPA BlackPress
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.
-
Community2 weeks ago
Financial Assistance Bill for Descendants of Enslaved Persons to Help Them Purchase, Own, or Maintain a Home
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
-
Business2 weeks ago
V.P. Kamala Harris: Americans With Criminal Records Will Soon Be Eligible for SBA Loans
-
Community2 weeks ago
AG Bonta Says Oakland School Leaders Should Comply with State Laws to Avoid ‘Disparate Harm’ When Closing or Merging Schools
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024
-
Community2 weeks ago
Oakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame
-
Community2 weeks ago
Richmond Nonprofit Helps Ex-Felons Get Back on Their Feet
-
Community2 weeks ago
RPAL to Rename Technology Center for Retired Police Captain Arthur Lee Johnson