#NNPA BlackPress

History-Making U.S. Secretary of Interior Tours Mississippi’s Civil Rights Sites

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The tour’s first stop was the now dilapidated, overgrown-with-vines Bryant’s Grocery, on Money Road, in Greenwood, Miss., where 14-year-old Emmett Till of Chicago was accused of allegedly whistling at the white store clerk.
The post History-Making U.S. Secretary of Interior Tours Mississippi’s Civil Rights Sites first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

5 years ago

March 6, 2022

admin

New National Park Unit Discussed for the Delta; ETHIC, a Focal Point

By Gail H.M. Brown, Ph.D., Contributing Writer to The Mississippi Link

Hosted by U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, history-making Native American U.S. Secretary of Interior (DOI) Deb Haaland toured crucial civil rights sites of Mississippi, Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Appointed by the Biden-Harris Administration, Haaland made history when she became the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary.

Historically, the U.S. Department of the Interior, created March 3, 1849, is in charge of the Nation’s internal affairs. (https://www.doi.gov/whoweare/history).

Secretary Holland expresses gratitude to members participating in roundtable at the courthouse in Sumner, MS where the murder trial took place

Also joining Haaland on the tour was White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Brenda Mallory, also a history-maker. The 12th chair of CEQ, Mallory is the first African American to serve in this position. As chair, she advises the President on environmental and natural resources policies that improve, preserve and protect public health and the environment for America’s communities.

Cassius Cash, deputy regional director, National Park Service (NPS), served as facilitator and guide.

The tour’s first stop was the now dilapidated, overgrown-with-vines Bryant’s Grocery, on Money Road, in Greenwood, Miss., where 14-year-old Emmett Till of Chicago was accused of allegedly whistling at the white store clerk.

“This is one of the most impactful stops for me personally,” said Cash, as he began the tour. “It took me a while to leave this spot. Just tried to put myself in the place of Emmett on the day that event started.” He then yielded to Thompson for welcoming remarks.

“First of all, Madam Secretary, we are glad to have you in the Second District,” Thompson said. “What you have with this situation is a lot of what happened in the south when people were trying to pursue freedom, justice and equality, and the brutality associated with it.”

“The story behind this, and a lot of stories like this, needs to be told as accurate as possible,” said Thompson. “We are glad that there is interest from the Park Service as well as from you being here; [which] says volumes for that interest.”

Following Thompson, Till’s cousin, Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr., who shared his first-hand knowledge of what happened that summer day in 1955 at the now barely recognizable Bryant Grocery.

Parker first reflected on his cousin Emmett growing up in Chicago as a “fun-loving guy; never had a dull day in his life.” Parker said that was part of the reason his mother and others did not want Emmitt to visit Mississippi as he so much wanted.

Parker stressed that “so many stories have been told about the incident that it is unbelievable.” He will be sharing his account in a book that is due out later this year.

The next stop was the Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center (ETHIC) in Glendora, Miss., where Mayor Johnny Thomas, locals, state representatives and other dignitaries welcomed Haaland, Mallory, staff members and others.

State Representative Tracey Rosebud and Mississippi Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons were also among Glendora’s welcome wagon.

Thompson praised the people of Glendora for putting “sweat equity” into developing what he called, “the house the community built in memory of young Till.”

It was at the ETHIC that Haaland began to share her sentiments that Native American history and Black history are American history. And “the complete story must be told,” she said.

“[We], Native Americans, weren’t even citizens of the United States until 1924, and we’d been here for millennia. We were here before the first Europeans came to this country,” Haaland said. “I feel like we are allies in the fight to make sure that our history is represented in the way that we feel it should be.”

She said that is where the National Park Service comes in. According to the DOI, The National Park Service is currently conducting a Special Resource Study of significant civil rights sites in Mississippi. Authorized by Congress in 2017, the study is designed to provide Congress with critical information used in the legislative process of designating a new unit.”

During the tour, citizens in Glendora made the case for the new National Park designation be there with the Till Center as the focus point.

Other sites on the tour included the Emmett Till Interpretive Center in Sumner, Miss., and the historic City of Mound Bayou where Mayor Leighton Aldridge invited practically all of the former mayors and others to welcome Secretary Haaland.

In Sumner, a round table discussion was held on the social injustice of the Till murder and its sparking impact on civil rights.

Roundtable panelist, Shiann McDanail, a 12th grader of West Tallahatchie High School, said, “I’m glad a curriculum [is being developed] for us to learn more about Emmett Till because in school, the teachers are not able to teach how they want to teach.” She is in favor of the National Park being there. “Just not for us but for other people and generations,” McDanail said.

“Who could we be if we don’t know our own history?”

The 12th-grader later told The Mississippi Link that to be honest, unfortunately some of her peers do not understand the importance of the Emmett Till story. “My generation should want to get together to help like kindergartners, six- and seven-graders, to understand what [went] on with Emmett and other people that left a historical mark on us today,” she said. “So, when they graduate high school, they will know and appreciate our history.”

McDanail aspires to become a teacher.

During the final stop at the historic Jackson, Miss. home of Medgar and Myrlie Evers, Haaland also stressed the importance of educating children about their history. “It’s important that we educate our children because they deserve to know the history of our country,” she said.

Haaland and entourage were warmly welcomed by the Evers’ daughter Reena Evers and Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba.

Having been donated to and preserved by Tougaloo College for many years, the Evers’ home, where Medgar was assassinated in his carport, is currently a National Monument since December 10, 2020. It is National Monument No. 423.

The post History-Making U.S. Secretary of Interior Tours Mississippi’s Civil Rights Sites first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

admin

Posts by admin

#NNPA BlackPress

Smooth Ride! Car Suspension & Comfort Tested #shorts

Smooth suspension meets surprisingly spacious legroom. Experience true comfort on any road!

Published

4 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Car suspension test demonstrating a smooth ride, comfort features, and handling on various terrains.

Experience the difference smooth suspension makes on rough streets. Check out the surprisingly good second-row legroom – test it yourself for true comfort.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/l9Z571za5Gc

#AutoNetwork

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

61 years since Selma, Houston leaders say the bridge remains to be crossed

61 years after Selma, Houston leaders say the fight for equality continues. The issues that sparked the marches still impact Black Americans today.

Published

4 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Houston leaders discuss the ongoing struggle for civil rights 61 years after Selma, emphasizing the need for continued action.

It has been 61 years since the Selma marches. But political leaders in Houston say that the issues protesters were marching for still plague the lives of Black Americans.

Visit Our Website

Home – updated

Read more stories by our team
https://defendernetwork.com/category/news/opinion/

Sign-up for the Top 5 newsletter

Defender Newsletters

Donate/ Support Our Work

Contribute to the Defender Network

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

4 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.