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Charles Patton Calls for 20 Million New Voters in 2020

OAKLAND POST— Entrepreneur, coach, and real estate investor Charles Patton has recently added voting rights advocate to his title after a visit to the office of Oakland Post publisher Paul Cobb, where creativity and “aha!” moments are generated quite often. As the two conversed Patton noticed large black and white photos of Cobb and three other Oakland residents beside Dr. Martin Luther King jr. on the wall.

Published

6 years ago

October 15, 2019

Oakland Post

Voter registration advocates Charles Patton, creator of www.makeadifferenceandvote.com, and Jonathan Fitness Jones hold iconic photo of Oakland Post publisher Paul Cobb and three other Oakland residents beside Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, a galvanizing of the masses that demanded change resulting in the landmark Voting Rights Act 1965. Voter registration advocates Charles Patton, creator of www.makeadifferenceandvote.com, and Jonathan Fitness Jones hold iconic photo of Oakland Post publisher Paul Cobb and three other Oakland residents beside Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, a galvanizing of the masses that demanded change resulting in the landmark Voting Rights Act 1965. (Photo by: Paul Cobb)

Ladies in Red ‘s “Mama Said Vote” Campaign Joins National Drive

By Carla Thomas

Entrepreneur, coach, and real estate investor Charles Patton has recently added voting rights advocate to his title after a visit to the office of Oakland Post publisher Paul Cobb, where creativity and “aha!” moments are generated quite often.

As the two conversed Patton noticed large black and white photos of Cobb and three other Oakland residents beside Dr. Martin Luther King jr. on the wall.

Patton, amazed by the images asked Cobb to share his experience.

“During an atmosphere of violent and aggressive police opposition, many civil rights workers had written wills and waivers against legal actions if they were killed while participating in civil rights activities,” said Cobb.

“Due to the national response to the many arrests and some deaths over the Southern states, Congress and President Johnson passed the Voting Rights Act.”

As Cobb began to explain the magnitude of just how many every day people and advocates who were led in particular by ministers responding to Dr. King’s call to action, Patton began to see the value again of galvanizing the masses and duplicating the movement around voter registration and other important issues.

Now 50+ years later, some legislation and court rulings are turning back the gains of the 1965 bill. Cobb and the Post News Group (PNG) are continuing the mission to maintain voter rights. PNG will feature weekly articles about registration and the census in their newspapers.

Patton has now formed a bipartisan organization called Make A Difference And Vote, a grassroots movement with the theme “20 for 2020”. In partnership with the Post, Jonathan “Fitness” Jones creator of breathing aerobics, and others across the nation, Patton expects to spark the registration of 20 million new voters by November 2020, using cell phones to register people in minutes.

“Through the use of a cell phone, anyone can be an activist and as we work together there’s no reason PNGs readers, the family of churches, unions, entertainers, athletes, Greek-letter organizations, businesses and other media outlets can’t produce change in our society,” said Patton.

“I want everyone to register to vote on Patton’s new platform in a four-step process and encourage others to do the same,” said Cobb. “Register at www.makeadifferenceandvote.com, upload a (photo) selfie when you vote at the polls or mail your ballot, and ask 20 others to do the same.”

Patton is so passionate about his new movement that he has even written a song titled Make A Difference And Vote that will feature music video featuring next spring in 2020 involving 50 high profile multicultural and political supporters. It is being hailed as the “We Are the World” for voting.

Patton says his family, mentor Danny Glover, and leading empowerment workshops across the country has kept him motivated.

“Change is imminent, and with everyone’s voice heard and every vote counted, America will be better than it is today, “ said Patton.

This article originally appeared in the Oakland Post.

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Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

By Congressman James E. Clyburn

WATCH HERE

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10^th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”