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Senior advocate continues legacy of love and service
NNPA NEWSWIRE — For 35 years, Ruth Tate directed the activities, special events, bus excursions, and even a trip to Europe for senior participants. Tate is now director emeritus. Even at the age of 87, not too much goes on without her input. But on May 1, the staff of the Ruth Tate Center did something about that.
By Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell, Special to The New Tri-State Defender
It’s hard to surprise a woman like Ruth Tate, especially at the Ruth Tate Senior Center in South Memphis.
For 35 years, she directed the activities, special events, bus excursions, and even a trip to Europe for senior participants. Tate is now director emeritus. Even at the age of 87, not too much goes on without her input. But on May 1, the staff of the Ruth Tate Center did something about that.
“Ms. Tate started the senior center. She was honored some years back, and the center was named after her,” said Alton Edwards, president of the Ruth Tate Council at the center. “We thought it would be a great idea to surprise Ms. Tate on her birthday with a party!”
Edwards and the other seniors pulled off the near-Herculean feat of keeping the party under wraps during the careful planning and execution of one of the year’s most highly-anticipated events.
“Over the years, Ms. Tate has helped so many families,” said Crystal Conley, the acting director for the center. “It is so important for seniors to stay actively engaged in socializing with their peers and being a part of a social network. The center is an important outlet, an extension of the family.
“Keeping seniors active and happy contributes to longevity and enhances the quality of life,” Conley continued. “So many seniors and their families over the years owe so much to the work of Ms. Tate.”
Even after 35 years as director of the center, Tate still spends most of her days there at the senior complex. She remembers the surprise party as one of her brightest and most memorable days.
“They really got me that time because I was truly surprised,” she said. “It was such a wonderful day, and I just felt very special and honored for them to remember my birthday like that.
“So many people were there who came by to wish me a happy birthday,” she added. “My son from Houston was even there, and that really surprised me. It made me feel good to know that so many people appreciate what I tried to do for seniors.”
The beginning of Ruth Tate Senior Center was an humble one, but the call to lead the project seemed tailor-made for Tate.
“It all started with a study that was done at Memphis State, well, you know, it was Memphis State at the time. We know it’s the University of Memphis now,” said Ms. Tate. “And they said that we needed a senior center in South Memphis because of the large number of seniors who lived in the area.
“It was part of Senior Services, and we started out in the basement of Christ Missionary Baptist Church when Eddie Currie was pastor. Senior Services was giving us $200 a month for rent, but we were told they needed more money. That’s when we asked Dr. Reuben Green over at Central Baptist Church if we could start meeting there. And he said, ‘Come on, Ms. Tate.’ We stayed there until our building was finished. When it was time to move, Dr. Green said, ‘Don’t leave, Ms. Tate.’”
Her love for planning activities and facilitating special events is legendary. The center’s annual Pre-Mother’s Day Luncheon is the big fundraiser, hosting more than 500 participants.
“I asked the Lord to give me something for Mother’s Day that wasn’t sad,” she said. “My own mother died at the age of 32, leaving two small children behind. So, I understand people grieving their mother on Mother’s Day, even when they are seniors. But our luncheon is fun and uplifting. People take their vacation during that time so they can come take their mother to this event. It continues to be the big highlight of our year.”
This director emeritus still has the magic touch. She planned a Father’s Day luncheon at the center, Tuesday, June 11 at 11:30 a.m. Along with the luncheon, was a men’s health conference.
“United Healthcare is sponsoring the health component,” said Conley. “Although the emphasis will be on men, the women are not excluded. We are looking to have a wonderful time celebrating fathers at the luncheon.”
As for Ms. Tate, she plans to stick around indefinitely.
“My doctor said they made a mistake on my birth certificate because I can’t possibly be 87 years old,” she said. “But I say, we are going to keep living and enjoying our life. We’re not going to let age stop us.
“Many of our seniors live alone,” she continued. “It’s no good staying home thinking about all your aches and pains. We spend time at the center. That’s really the secret to staying young.”
#NNPA BlackPress
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

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0xUKM6U2Lpc&autoplay=0&cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=0&color=0&controls=1&fs=1&h1=en&loop=0&rel=0
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
#NNPA BlackPress
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.

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.
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.
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.
#NNPA BlackPress
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.

By Congressman James E. Clyburn
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – 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.
“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.”
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