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IN MEMORIAM: Cassandra Griffen, Renowned Documentary Photographer, Dies at 75

BIRMINGHAM TIMES — Cassandra Griffen was born on Jan. 25, 1950 in Wilson, N.C. Her parents, Charles Richard Griffen and Bertha Baynes Griffen, were educators in the state’s public school system. Mrs. Griffen started taking photographs at family gatherings when she was 11. Over the decades, she continued to develop her craft and merge her talent for photography and storytelling with her passion for social justice. In New York, Mrs. Griffen took on roles as a gerontologist and an ombudsman, advocating for the rights of elders in nursing homes.

Published

11 months ago

November 19, 2025

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By Shauna Stuart
The Birmingham Times

Cassandra Griffen, an activist and renowned documentary photographer whose many notable images included the Civil Rights Movement as well as Sun Ra Arkestra, was celebrated on Sunday by a host of Birmingham artists, historians, and musicians. Mrs. Griffen died on Oct. 23. She was 75.

Family and friends filed into East Village Arts, the neighborhood’s avant-garde nonprofit artist collective, a little before 2 p.m. The gathering was jovial and full of music. Griffen was a longtime photographer of the nation’s cultural and political scene. Her family outfitted the vibrant community arts space as a testament to her life’s work.

Rene Kemp-Rotan, an urban designer and master planner, was hosting an outdoor civic engagement presentation in 2004 about the plans for Railroad Park, when Mrs. Griffen approached her after the speech. The two women, along with Carol Clarke, then Director of the Birmingham Department of Economic Development, would later bond over a mutual love of art, jazz, New York, and cultural preservation.

“She was literally recording life as it happened,” said Kemp-Rotan. “Particularly in the Black political community.”

Birmingham native Wilhelmina Thomas, a textile artist and historian, remembered Mrs. Griffen as a person with a wealth of information. “A lot of the anecdotal stories that I got, I got from her. I got ideas of where to research … and she is a debutante. She just went out and was an ambassador to the world for Birmingham, of what out African American potential is.”

A montage of portraits of Mrs. Cassandra Griffen. (Larry Gay Photography)

At the celebration, a gallery of Mrs. Griffen’s photographs lined the front of East Village Arts. One table sported a 2016 image of Black Lives Matter demonstrations, alongside colorful portraits of members of SunRa’s Arkestra.

Nearby sat black and white photographs of singer and Civil Rights icon Nina Simone, outfitted in a one-shoulder dress and holding a shekere above her head as she danced. Another part of the gallery was dedicated to Mrs. Griffen’s photographs of revered Alabama icons– black and white portraits of legendary blues musician Henry “Gip” Gipson, Civil Rights leader Fred Shuttlesworth, and a candid side profile of lauded poet Sonia Sanchez in conversation with a small group.

Near the back, a quartet of beloved Birmingham jazz musicians– Bo Berry, Willie Jackson, Bernard McQueen, and John Nuckols played jazz standards to welcome attendees as they settled into their seats.

Cassandra Griffen was born on Jan. 25, 1950 in Wilson, N.C. Her parents, Charles Richard Griffen and Bertha Baynes Griffen, were educators in the state’s public school system. Mrs. Griffen started taking photographs at family gatherings when she was 11. Over the decades, she continued to develop her craft and merge her talent for photography and storytelling with her passion for social justice. In New York, Mrs. Griffen took on roles as a gerontologist and an ombudsman, advocating for the rights of elders in nursing homes.

Griffen also served as a member of the New York state human rights commission, working to draft fair housing policies. During her tenures in New Jersey and New York, she photographed the arts and culture scenes. In the late 1970s, while living in New York City, she frequented the famed CBGB music club in New York when she met the SunRa Arkestra.

Mrs. Griffen developed a bond with the group and eventually developed a reputation as the collective’s documentary photographer. Griffen was also the only woman allowed to spend the night in the Arkestra house in Philly’s Germantown neighborhood. Sun Ra, the Arkestra’s pioneering– but notoriously strict– bandleader, famously barred women from spending the night in the compound. That rule is a fact Sun Ra Arkestra saxophonist and composer Knoel Scott recalls with detail.

“Sun Ra didn’t want women staying with us. He said they break up bands,” but he trusted Cassandra, Scott said with a laugh, during a recent phone call from London. “ … Cassandra could stay the night. She was the only woman who Sun Ra didn’t mind staying with us.”

From left: Germaul Barnes, Yogi Dada, and Carol Clarke came to celebrate Mrs. Cassandra Griffen. (Larry Gay Photography)

To the Arkestra, Mrs. Griffen was more than a documentarian and friend. She was also committed to preserving the artistic legacy of Sun Ra and ensuring that his message of liberation for Black people didn’t get erased as more audiences embraced Sun Ra’s music and image.

“I really appreciated that,” said Scott. “She celebrated Sun Ra as one of the legends in the African American community and African American culture and the continuation of the African American tradition.”

In 1999, after more than 40 years in the northeast, Griffen moved to Birmingham to be close to her uncle, JT McKinney, one of the first African American jitney bus owners in Alabama, said Mrs. Griffen’s daughter Oneika Brooks DeJoy.

“She moved to Birmingham to take care of him and write a story about him,” said DeJoy.

In the South, Mrs. Griffen continued to photograph art, culture, and historic scenes in Alabama and around the region. As she developed a rapport and relationships with mayors, Civil Rights luminaries, and city leaders, her portfolio expanded to include photographs of Fred Shuttlesworth, Coretta Scott King, and former Birmingham Mayor William Bell. Griffen frequented jazz clubs and Gip’s Place, the historic juke joint in Bessemer. She also regularly photographed artist Joe Minter and his African Village in America.

The connections would eventually lead to exhibitions at storied Birmingham institutions, including the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute’s Odessa Woolfolk Gallery.

From left: David Stewart, Wilma Stewart (Note: Wilma Stewart is Sun Ra’s niece), Burgin Mathews, Oneika Brooks DeJoy, Rene Kemp-Rotan, and Stephonia Taylor McLinn pose for a photograph at Cassadra Griffen’s memorial service at East Village Arts on Nov. 9, 2025. (Shauna Stuart, For The Birmingham Times.

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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

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September 20, 2026

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

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

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 Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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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.
What You Learn in This Episode:
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
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Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

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

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Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts

Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

Experience ultimate comfort in the CX-90. Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, 8-way power adjustments, and memory settings for both front passengers. The heated steering wheel with memory tilt/telescope adds premium convenience.

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