Earl Anthony Cooper is an impressive
young man. Raised in Wilmington, Delaware,
Cooper came to my attention through my friend
Mike Stewart, Sr. Cooper is
a graduate of Morehouse College, (Class of
2011), where he earned a Bachelors of Arts
Degree in Political Science with a concentration
in Philosophy. In addition, Cooper was
Vice–President of The Next American Great
Poet, where he was involved in mentoring
local Atlanta high school students on the
importance of literature and poetry--all
at the tender age of 22.
Cooper was the first black
All-State golfer for the state of Delaware. He
was awarded a golf scholarship to play for
Morehouse College’s golf team where he led the
college to their first Division II National
Championship in 2010.
Cooper wrote a children’s book
called “Hello, Maroon Tiger! “ The
book is available at all major online retailers.
We caught up with Earl Cooper over the holidays
where he joined us for lunch at a local
Washington, DC area restaurant. You can watch
our exclusive interview with Earl on below.
Janice Fenn has over 25
years of human resources and diversity
experience. She is the founder and president of
the Professional Resources Organization, Inc.,
a consulting firm known for its innovative and
interactive seminars and training tools to
enhance Employee Development, Mentoring,
Building Trust, Diversity and Inclusive
Leadership. Over the years Ms. Fenn has worked
with clients such as American Express, The
American Cancer Society, ConAgra Foods, DuPont,
Gulfstream, Johnson Controls, McDonalds,
Microsoft, Northwestern Mutual, and Omaha Public
Power District.
Ms. Fenn’s corporate experience
includes serving as Senior Director of Global
Diversity for Kraft Foods, and positions in
human resources, recruitment, succession
planning and diversity at Sara Lee Corporation
and Quaker Oats.
As Director of Human Resource
Development at Sara Lee Corporation, Ms. Fenn
was responsible for developing the company’s
initial diversity process both domestically and
internationally, including South Africa, Spain,
The United Kingdom, Holland and France.
Ms. Fenn is co–author of the
book Do You See What I See? A
Diversity Tale for Retaining People of Color,
creator of the Development Ladder Game™
and Reel–Time Scenarios™, and author of
the Diversity Fairy Tale Series.
She serves on the Board of the Rhea of Hope
Foundation, an organization dedicated to
mentoring adolescent girls and young women. She
is an alumnus of Leadership America and a member
of the U.S. women’s delegation to Mexico for the
North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation.
Ms. Fenn has been honored for
achievement by Dollars and Sense Magazine,
the United Negro College Fund, YMCA and the
NAACP, where she is a lifetime member. Ms. Fenn
has been featured in Ebony Magazine, Jet,
DiversityInc, Wal–Mart’s Black History
month publication, Profiles in Pride, the
Black Success Guide and the inaugural
publication of Who’s Who In Black Chicago.
Ms. Fenn holds both BS and MS
degrees in Biology from Tuskegee University, and
an MBA from Purdue University’s Krannert School
of Business.
To learn more about the
Professional Resources Organization visit the
company's official web site at:
http://www.prof-resources.com.
The 10
Wealthiest Black People In The World
By Natalie Dawson
Billionaires and millionaires aren’t always white or
oil barons. African Americans can also throw down when
it comes to wealth. To prove it, we have listed ten of
the wealthiest black people in the world below listed by
current estimated worth.
Aliko Dangote – Never heard of him? Most
Americans haven’t. He is a businessman based in
Nigeria and head man for The Dangote Group, which
was founded in 1977 as a small firm. Since then, it
has substantially grown and earned Dangote himself
an estimated worth of $13.8 billion.
Mike Adenuga – He runs Conoil Producing,
the first Nigerian company to strike oil in
significant quantities during the early 1990s. He
is also the owner of the second largest mobile
company in the country. A true success story, he
made his first million at age 26 by selling lace and
soft drinks and is now worth $4.3 billion.
Patrice Tlhopane Motsepe – He is another
African and another billionaire. His company is
called African Rainbow Minerals and deals in gold,
platinum, and other precious metals. From South
Africa, he was born royalty and became the first
black partner in a local law firm in 1994. His
estimated worth is $3.28 billion.
Oprah Winfrey – Her own show and now her
own network took this small town reporter’s dreams
to places girls of her generation never thought they
could go. By investing in herself and her own show,
Oprah was able to create a wealth of $2.7 billion.
Michael Jackson – His estimated worth is
sketchy. Although he made hundreds of millions of
dollars from album sales alone, Jackson had a
notorious spending habit that was also in the
hundreds of millions. However, he did purchase the
rights to many Beatles songs, which are estimated to
be worth between $500 million and one billion.
After his death, sales of his own music also spiked
into the hundreds of millions.
Jim Ovia – His nickname is “the godfather
of Nigerian banking.” He founded the Zenith Banking
Group in 1990, and it became one of the largest
financial services provider on the continent. He
also founded a mobile company and is estimated to be
worth $775 million.
Robert Johnson – If not for the recession,
he would be higher on the list with over one billion
dollars in net worth. However, the founder of the
BET network still enjoys a net worth of $550
million.
Michael Jordan – The “air man” is most
known for being one of the best players in NBA
history. It also didn’t hurt that his brand of
clothing and especially shoes are still a top
seller. Between the endorsements, investments, and
more, he is worth $525 million.
Tiger Woods – As with Robert Johnson, if it
wasn’t for his divorce and lost proceeds from a
scandal, he would be farther up the list. However,
with an annual salary of $85 million, golfing legend
Tiger Woods is still worth $500 million and is the
youngest person on the list.
Bill Cosby – Proving that you can make
money by telling a simple, family oriented story is
the legendary Bill Cosby. Critics believed his show
wouldn’t make it past year one when the virtually
unknown comedian debuted it in 1984. Over 25 years
later, he is worth $450 million and rising.
Natalie Dawson owns the site
Masters Degree. She enjoys writing
articles about everything in the education field.
Bishop
E. Bernard Jordan
Bishop E. Bernard
Jordan
is a man who has been singularly forged by the
fire of destiny, which cause his eyes to burn
with a vision for the Body of Christ that shall
impact the entire world.
Born a native of Brooklyn, New York, Bishop
Jordan received his ultimate calling at the age
of 15, when he was summoned to prophesy. By the
age of 24, he was recognized nationally as a
prophet. Rising from the obscurity of the ghetto
to his present and current fame he is known to
millions as God’s messenger, the Prophet.
Bishop Elijah Bernard Jordan is the founder and
Senior Pastor of Zoe Ministries since 1983. Zoe
Ministries had its beginning in Westfield, New
Jersey with 60 people in attendance. A thriving,
prophetic church with a vision to impact the
world with the gospel, Zoe continued to develop
the facets of ministry under Bishop Jordan’s
leadership which marked it as a church in
pursuit of destiny, called to fulfill the will
of the Lord. Armed with the vision of a church
resplendent in a glory greater than of Solomon’s
Temple, Bishop Jordan has been building a
ministry of restoration that would accurately
reflect the Biblical pattern, tearing down the
constraints of traditionalism and exposing the
lies that have led the church into captivity.
Zoe Ministries touches thousands, both
nationally and internationally. Noted primarily
for his prophetic ministry and revelatory
teaching, Bishop Jordan established the School
of the Prophets in 1985. The School is
specifically geared towards those who are called
to function in prophetic ministry, yet is an
invaluable source of ministerial ethics that are
applicable to any office of ministry. He is also
noted for his uncanny accuracy regarding the
prophecies that he ministers. Businessmen,
political officials, celebrities and churches
are numbered among the thousands who have
consulted Bishop Jordan for counsel and
direction through the Word of the Lord.
Bishop Jordan teaches biblical principles and
ethics essential to successful living. His
life-changing messages on reformation and
liberation have sparked acclaim, as well as
controversy, as he teaches the unadulterated
Word of God. A liberator in his own right,
Bishop Jordan is charged with preparing the
church for the New Millennium and stands with
the heart of a father, acknowledging that he is
but one of hundreds of thousands called
by God to prophesy. His
teachings have stabilized many who were
floundering, with a gift in manifestation of
understanding the order of God.
He has traveled to Swaziland, South Africa, and
delivered the Word of the Lord to the Queen and
the Royal Family. He has prophesied in many
nations, including Germany, Canada, Korea and
the Caribbean, bringing an astute word of
counsel to the leadership and royalty of those
countries. In February 1988, he was invited to
address a special assembly of ambassadors and
diplomats at the United Nations, concerning the
oppressive racism in South Africa. He addressed
the assembly again in February 1992, and
prophesied of the impending liberation of South
Africa, which has come to pass.
Upon his consecration in 1994 as a cabinet
Bishop by His Eminence, Archbishop Roy E. Brown,
Bishop Jordan continues to emerge as a leader
among leaders, bringing hundreds of pastors into
a new awareness of their destiny through
motivational teachings and The Word of the Lord.
Bishop Jordan is in great demand, for he is
quite charismatic and personable. He is often
featured on various telecasts, both locally and
nationally. Most recently, he has been featured
on NBC’s Today Show, FOX 5, Good Day New York,
CNN, and many, many others. He was also featured
in The New York Daily News, New York Times, New
York Post and Newsday with some of his
congregates as well as in an interview in
Billboard Magazine on his views concerning
social issues.
A gifted lecturer and renowned host of “The
Power of Prophecy” national telecast, Bishop
Jordan’s talents are notably enhanced by his
ecumenical calling as a prophet of God. He has
also initiated the production of Zoe Ministries’
nationally known album “Come Together,” on
Benson Records.
As stated earlier, Bishop Jordan has impacted
governmental officials on many levels. He was
awarded proclamations of recognition from
Governor Mario Cuomo, former Governor of New
York, and Mayor David Dinkins, former Mayor of
New York, for outstanding leadership and
community service for establishing OPERATION:
HOPE, designed especially to feed the homeless
community in New York. Bishop Jordan has also
forged a relationship with the New York State
Correctional Commission to help develop and
guide the lives of young women assigned to the
Riker’s Island Stepsister Program. He has
received numerous awards and proclamations from
political officials around the world that are
too numerous to mention, for he is widely
respected as a man of integrity and admired for
his generosity.
Bishop Jordan is a modern-day prophet whose
ministry is absolutely astounding! Like
Nostradamus, Bishop Pike, and Edgar Cayce, the
accuracy of the gift that operates in Bishop
Jordan will astound you! He is known to predict
exact names, dates, and times of events both
individually and globally! His visual perception
is so exact that he is able to give accurate
descriptions of locations that are pertinent to
the recipient of the prophecy! Bishop Jordan
differs from those who can operate with
extra-sensory perception, for his calling as a
prophet endows him with a degree of authority.
As a prophet, he can truly decree a thing and
see it established---just like the prophets of
the Scriptures! He is not one just to give
information, but he is also known to create
miracles and circumvent events merely by the
power of his speech!
Like any prophet, as indicated in the
Scriptures, Bishop Jordan also possesses a
phenomenal insight into the universal truths of
the Divine, and he has a unique ability to
motivate people
to move beyond
mediocrity and embrace excellence in their
lives. Bishop E. Bernard Jordan lectures
extensively, both nationally and
internationally. He is frequently called upon to
declare his message that all may attain
Zoe-which is a Greek word meaning “The God Kind
Of Life,” after which the ministry is named.
People all over the world have been brought to
the sacred truth that they are not victims in
life, but “Destiny is not left up to chance, but
it’s a matter of choice!”
Bishop Jordan has made available to the public
an extensive library of cassette and video tapes
geared to impart the "Zoe --- GOD Kind of Life"
Christian philosophy.
Thousands of people attribute their success,
prosperity, health and happiness directly to the
master teachings of Bishop E. Bernard Jordan.
His dynamic teachings bring the inquiring mind
principles of living a life that is resplendent
with the attributes of wholeness and abundance
sought by everyone.
In 1997, God sparked a new idea in the life of
Bishop Mar Elijah Bernard Jordan. God gave him a
burden to raise up 300 Prophets (termed
"Neophytes") before the turn of the New
Millennium. Hence, the Prophetic Order of Mar
Elijah was born, and 300 Prophets-in-training
called "Neophytes" would become the foundation
stones.
Mar Elijah flows with the wisdom and insight of
the prophet Daniel, whom the Bible says
understood all the sciences. In their time and
season, Moses and Joseph also understood the
prophetic sciences of their day, enabling them
to overcome their obstacles. The Neophytes under
The Prophetic Order of Mar Elijah are trained
not only to hear the voice of God and articulate
it accurately, but are taught scientific ways of
mind renewal and development using the Word of
God and proven technique sciences.
As an author, Bishop Jordan has written over 40
books, encompassing an astounding range of
topics. He has written on such subjects as
"Mentoring," " Spiritual Protocol," "The Power
of Money," "Seed of Destiny," "What Every Woman
Needs to Know About a Man," and many others.
Bishop E. Bernard Jordan earned his doctorate in
Religious Studies in 1991, and in 1993, earned
his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religious Studies. He
serves as an adjunct professor for several
colleges across the country.
Pastor Debra Jordan, his beautiful and
accomplished wife, stands with Bishop Jordan in
his global vision for ministry, and serves as
Chief Financial Officer of Zoe ministries.
The Jordans are the proud parents of five
children: Naomi, Bethany, Joshua, Aaron and
Yakim Manasseh. Their vision of liberation shall
literally shake the nations of the earth!
Dynamic Duo Motivating You
To Go The Extra Mile
Darrayl
and Derrick Miles
Milestone Motivation is a faith-based organization
founded by Darrayl and Derrick Miles. Gifted by God to inspire and motivate, these identical
twin brothers travel across the country helping others
discover, develop and use their gifts in powerful ways.
Through entertaining presentations offering practical
tips, personal assessment tools and educational
materials, Milestone Motivation helps individuals
recover the God-given desires, talents and traits that
lay buried within our hearts.
Milestone Motivation
offers a wide-range of products and services such as
superhuman performance training.
Milestone Motivation
A Ministry like No Other
Milestone
Motivation Incorporated is a ministry. After many years
working for Fortune 500 companies and serving in
executive leadership roles in the healthcare industry;
Darrayl and Derrick Miles; finally got it right; there
is more to life than the accumulation of things!
Milestone Media
Radio: A Message for the Masses
The
Dynamic Duo “Darrayl and Derrick Miles” (America’s
experts of employing your Spiritual Gifts in the
marketplace) speak with successful Executives,
entrepreneurs, celebrities and spiritual leaders discuss
the gifts and techniques they have used to perform at
superhuman levels. Our guest roster includes Dr. Mark
Chironna, Keith
Harrell, George Foreman, Os Hillman, Darlene McCoy,
George Fraser, Jay Lowder, Pastor Sunday Adelaja, Wess
Morgan and many more.
Television: Reaching the Masses with
our Message
Includes
interviews with authors of the Milestone Publishing
roster and profiled individuals included in it’s books.
We also from time to time conduct entertaining street
interviews on topics akin to Spiritual Gifts, Destiny
and assignments from God.
Publishing: Providing a Platform
Boutique
publishing firm specializing in producing books that
encourages others to pursue the destiny and/or
assignment God has placed in their hearts. While diverse
in overall book structure, the multi-author approach
with real-life profiles to emotionally attach to the
reader is most common. Genres include:
•
Christian Life
•
Business/Leadership
•
Spiritual Growth
•
Professional Growth
• Self
Help/Motivational and Inspirational
The Dynamic Duo
Darrayl Miles
is an influential entrepreneur, devoted father,
passionate communicator and mentor. He is co-founder of
Milestone Motivation and is co-host of the
Milestone Motivation radio show.
Darrayl is also President of the Miles Agency, an
Allstate Insurance Agency. In four years under Darrayl’s
leadership, the company grew to a $3.6 million agency
with over 3,000 customers. Leveraging his expertise in
productivity improvement and performance enhancement,
Darrayl reduced the company’s loss ratio by 33% and
improved customer loyalty by 14% in less than 18 months.
Derrick Miles
is a powerful and authoritative leader, dedicated
husband and father and leadership mentor. He is
co-founder of Milestone Motivation and is co-host of the
Milestone Motivation radio show.
Prior
to establishing Milestone Motivation, Derrick
worked for 12 years in hospital leadership, holding
numerous executive level positions in health care
organizations throughout the southeast. He handled
operations and logistics for facilities with over
140,000 patients and that served more than 40,000
children each year. In his various positions, he had
fiscal operating revenue responsibility of $60 to $200
million. His productivity improvement and cost-saving
initiatives have added millions of dollars to the top
and bottom lines of various health care organizations.
3 Minutes
with The Man Behind Black Art In
America.com
BMIA.com: What is Black Art In America?
Najee Dorsey: Black Art in America (BAIA) is
the premier online venue for African American Art. BAIA
is an online community with artists, collectors,
students, teachers, gallerists, curators, critics and
art appreciators across the world. It's online community
has a blend of highly established contemporary artists
as well as newly emerging contemporary artists. BAIA is
free and open to all. Members can create a profile of
themselves and upload an unlimited quantity of their
work including images, audio narration and video.
BMIA.com: You say that BAIA is
the best online network to display, find and share art.
Tell us why!
BAIA is totally free and allows you to create an
unlimited number of galleries.
Find Art - Find art by browsing featured photographs or
view by member, featured or most recent uploaded
pictures/art.
Network - Build a valuable network of peers, collectors,
art appreciators and others. Keep them informed with
your latest shows and online galleries.
Upload - Allow BAIA to introduce you and your art to the
world. Upload your art quickly and easily . Currently,
you may upload unlimited images.
Participate - BAIA is a dynamic community with
messaging, blogs and interviews. Speak up and be heard!
Remember, YOU are BAIA...Let your beautiful voice be
heard!
Enjoy - This site is so much fun. Post your comments to
and suggestions to Najee Dorsey, BAIA Founder.
BAIA
was founded by Najee Dorsey and is co-owned by he and
Janelle Dowell. Ms. Dowell is responsible for multimedia
design and marketing. The Company's (virtual)
headquarters is in Atlanta, Georgia and Chicago,
Illinois.
The John Rivera Story
John Rivera
is a multifaceted brother who has a story to
tell. John has been up and he's been down
but he's never QUIT!. John's story is
motivating and epitomizes what we are trying to
do at
Black Men In America.comand that
is feature "extraordinary men, doing
extraordinary things." I am proud to
call John my friend.
Gary Johnson, Founder & Publisher (Black Men In
America.com)
Left to Right: Gary Johnson and
John Rivera in Gary's Kitchen.
John V. Rivera
is a new millennium renaissance man, a father,
broadcast engineer, inventor, author,
photographer, educator, chef, and President of
JonJen Creations, LLC. His career in
television began at NBC in 1981 at a time when
the broadcast industry landscape began to change
dramatically with the advent and development of
new digital technologies. Rivera held several
positions at NBC over his 22 years with the
company, including but not limited to: technical
maintenance and repair, Studio Camera Operator
for key productions (NBC Nightly News, The
Today Show, Saturday Night Live, the Olympics),
Senior Videotape Engineer, Editor, Video
Engineer, and Technical Director.
Rivera was
constantly challenged to learn, design, and
implement new technologies. His ability to adapt
and envision new ways of doing things kept John
on the cutting edge. Along with his engineering
duties, Rivera became involved in NBC Diversity
Initiatives. He served as the National
Association of Broadcast Employees and
Technicians (NABET) first chairperson of the
Diversity Council.
It became clear
to Rivera that while NBC was growing in the
technical areas it was failing to grow and
cultivate a culturally diverse, technically
skilled workforce. As Chairperson of the
Diversity Council, John developed diversity
building initiatives presenting several actions
to senior management and external organizations
including The NAACP, EEOC, and the United States Congress. Rivera was also
responsible for representing employees who came
to the Council for help.
Before resigning
from NBC in 2002, Rivera filed multiple federal
discrimination law suits against NBC and the
General Electric Corporation. After defeating
summary judgment and clearing all the cases for
trial, all the law suites were settled out of
court thus removing many of the old
discriminatory policies that existed in
broadcasting for more than 50 years.
In September of
2002, Rivera relocated to Florida, and became a
rescue diver, inventor, student, author, and
ultimately an educator. Picking up where he left
off 20 years earlier at Boston College, Rivera
studied criminal justice and law, all the while
refining his inventions and taking them through
the patent process.
Rivera is the
President and CEO of Sebastian Charter Junior
High School in Sebastian, Florida. The
Junior High School is an “A” Plus ranked school,
housed in portable trailers with no permanent
structure for the last 10 years. To remedy this
situation John has developed and produced a
Latin Festival to raise funds to aid in the
construction of a permanent building.
John Rivera
holding his Tostonera and his cookbook.
Today Rivera has
launched a line of cooking devices designed with
his cultural heritage in mind. For generations,
the preparation of tostones, a twice-fried green
plantain and a staple in Latin households, have
been prepared in a tedious process one tostone
at a time. Rivera’s Tostonera is the first plantain
press that can produce several tostones and
plantain cups at the same time. Rivera wrote a
cookbook, “The Pleasures of Plantains:
Plantain Cuisine” and also took culinary
classes under the tutelage of Executive ChefDario Marquez to accompany his invention.
After years of preparation the Rivera’s Tostonera is poised to be a
"must have" in every Caribbean kitchen.
Two important
civil rights anniversaries will take place in
2010 – the 45th Anniversary of “Bloody Sunday”
on the Edmund Pettus
Bridge in Selma, Alabama (March 7, 1965),
when demonstrators heading to Montgomery to
protest their lack of voting rights were
tear-gassed and beaten by state troopers and a
local mounted posse, and the 45th
Anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights
Act (August 6, 1965), which passed as a result
of public outrage over the unprovoked attack on
the bridge.
One of the iconic
images of Bloody Sunday is the photograph of Amelia Boynton Robinson (then Amelia
Boynton) lying unconscious on the bridge. She
stood on the platform with Martin Luther
King, Jr. at the conclusion of the
successful March to Montgomery two weeks later
and read a petition to then-Governor George
Wallace. She was present in Washington when
President Lyndon Johnson signed the
Voting Rights Act, a turning point for
America.
Robinson was 53
when she crested the bridge and, as she put it,
saw a wall of state troopers “standing so close
together an ant would have been mashed to death
if it crawled between them.” Today, she is 99
and lives in Tuskegee, Alabama. She is the
oldest living veteran of Bloody Sunday and the
oldest living alumnus of Tuskegee Institute,
from which she graduated in 1928. Mentally
sharp, she still drives, travels and gives talks
and speeches.
At 99, she is a
repository of first-hand knowledge of a black
South now beyond the living memory of most
Americans. She grew up as a piano-playing,
poetry-reciting daughter of a prosperous family
of African, German and Cherokee heritage in
Savannah, Georgia, where she did not experience
or realize the harsh effects of segregation. At
Tuskegee Institute in the 1920s, she became a
student of Dr. George Washington Carver and in
1930 took a job as the black home demonstration
agent with the U.S. Agricultural Extension
Service in Dallas County, Alabama, where she was
“flabbergasted” by the feudal world of
sharecroppers on the cotton plantations and
“appalled” by the exploitation, injustice and
outright cruelty she saw and heard about. (Selma
is the seat of Dallas County.)
The county’s
black agricultural agent was S.W. Boynton,
whom she would marry in 1938. They were early –
though not the first – promoters of
African-American voting rights in Selma, long
before the national spotlight shone on this
little town. In 1936, they revived the Dallas
County Voters League to promote black voter
registration. The League sponsored classes to
help people pass the citizenship and other tests
required to register but the barriers became
higher and many were afraid to try. Boynton died
in 1963, the year the first Student
Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
worker came to Selma. The first mass civil
rights meeting in Selma took place right after
Boynton’s death as memorial to him. The Voters
League invited King to Selma in 1965; he and
other civil rights leaders often stayed and held
meetings in Robinson’s home. She stood in line
day after day in demonstrations outside the
voter registration office in the county
courthouse. Another of the well-known
photographs from that era depicts the infamous
Sheriff Jim Clark shoving her. To show Clark’s
family that she didn’t have ill feelings towards
him anymore, she attended his funeral in Elba,
Alabama in 2007.
Amelia Robinson and President Lyndon
Johnson
I interviewed
Robinson for two days in August, and she has a
good memory going back to 1915. She described
her sheltered world in Savannah, where her
parents owned the biggest home and only
telephone in the black community and her mother,
she said, “had power. I saw her shake her finger
in the face of a judge and say, ‘I’ll have your
job.’ She went door to door in the neighborhood
and he was voted out in the next election.”
Robinson remembered George Washington
Carver’s high pitched voice and paeans to
sweet potatoes and peanuts, explained the work
of a home demonstration agent in the rural South
in the 1930s, described her friendship with a
very old woman who had been a slave, analyzed
the ways the white community controlled the
black community in Dallas County, gave a
blow-by-blow account of her experience on Bloody
Sunday, and told several hair-raising stories –
in one of them, she’s awakened by a rap on the
door late at night by three sweating black men
who said they’d been forced to bury another
black man alive.
Robinson also has
many photographs, letters, clippings and
documents collected over the years, including
her field reports as a home demonstration
agent.
Over the past 25
years, I have committed serious time and
attention to race and the civil rights movement,
particularly in Alabama. As a reporter for the
Philadelphia Inquirerfrom
1978-1997 and its Southern Bureau Chief from
1982-85, I met J.L. Chestnut Jr., the
first black lawyer and a leader in Selma, on a
reporting trip and co-wrote with him “Black in Selma, The Uncommon Life of J.L.
Chestnut Jr.” published by Farrar Straus
and Giroux in 1990 and still in print (with a
new afterward) in a paperback edition published
by the University of Alabama Press. The book won
the Lillian Smith Award for writing about
the South and the Silver Gavel award of the
American Bar Association for writing about the
justice system.
Since becoming a
free-lance writer and international journalism
trainer in 2002 (following stints as Executive
Editor of the Buenos Aires Herald, an English language newspaper in Argentina, and
managing editor of the Sunday magazine of the San JoseMercury News) I have
written a number of articles and reports on the
topics of civil rights, race, and poverty.
Relevant clips include:
·Article on Bob
Moses, a civil rights leader in Mississippi
who later created the Algebra Project and went
back to Mississippi to teach math, in Mother Jones Magazine (“The Moses Factor,”
May/June 2002)
·Article on
Katrina’s impact on the black middle class in
New Orleans in the Washington Post
(“Notable Mardi Gras Absences Reflect Loss of
Black Middle Class”, Feb. 25, 2006)
·Article on four
weekly newspapers in Mississippi focusing in
part on their coverage of race for the American Journalism Review(“Wonderful Weeklies,” December 2005/January
2006).
Bringing Black History
Month to Life By Ella L. J. Edmondson Bell, Ph. D, Author of Career GPS: Strategies for Women
Navigating the New Corporate Landscape
It's Black
History Month, when we celebrate and honor those
African Americans whose enlightening stories,
heroic experiences, amazing discoveries and
tremendous contributions are an intricate part
of our national fabric.
In the
corporate world, there might be speakers who
talk about what it means to be an
African-American manager or leader. Your reading
group might choose a book written by an
African-American writer, like Toni Morrison,
Edward P. Jones or President Obama, that
illuminates the cultural nuances that shape the
black experience in America. Or you might catch
a television special examining the life of
Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Frederick
Douglass, Shirley Chisholm or, of course, Martin
Luther King Jr.
These are the
expected kinds of activities that the American
public has come to expect every February.
Recognizing black heritage is important, but I'd
like to suggest a different way of celebrating
and appreciating Black History Month. Even as we
pay tribute to our ancestors, it's time to take
a step forward and incorporate the message and
meaning of the month into our day-to-day lives
all year long. This is more than just a learning
experience, but also a valuable exercise in
diversity and inclusion that we can bring into
our work lives.
So this Black
History Month, take a minute and look at your
relationships at work. Think of it this way; ask
yourself, "who are your allies?"
Webster's
defines an ally as a person who co-operates with
another person; a supporter or comrade. At work,
they are the collection of people who help each
other. They support you when times are tough and
celebrate with you when all's good. Having
allies in different parts of the company is
essential. If you're preparing a presentation on
a new product, your friend in R & D can give you
the back story, while your ally in marketing can
help make your visuals extra snazzy.
Allies in the
workplace can be men or women, and it's
important to have both. But for women what is
critically important -- and often overlooked --
is the importance of female allies. Too often,
we don't seek each other out as allies. The
situation gets even worse across race and
culture lines.
So this month,
take a minute to look at your allies. Have you
developed relationships with people of other
races and cultures? Who are the diverse group of
people who are watching your back? And since
being an ally is a two-way street, whose back
are you watching? Who in your crew is a
different color than you? If your posse looks a
little monochromatic, there is no better time to
reach across the color line and establish truly
authentic relationships that move beyond race.
If you dare,
after you look at your workplace allies, examine
your personal life? Who's at your table for
dinner? Who do your kids play with? Do all your
friends look like you? Are you being a role
model for a diverse world?
So go ahead
and celebrate history's African-American stars.
But at the same time, put a modern spin and
real-time meaning on the month by bringing the
spirit of diversity out of history and into your
every-day life.
Ella LJ
Edmondson Bell, Ph.D., author of the new
book, Career GPS: Strategies for Women
Navigating the New Corporate Landscape(Amistad),
is the founder and president of ASCENT-Leading
Multicultural Women to the Top, as well as an
associate professor of business administration,
Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University.
She is considered by industry and the academy to
be one of the leading experts in the management
of race, gender and class in the workplace. Her
clients include: PepsiCo, American Express,
Intel, Goldman Sachs, Booze Allen Hamilton, U.S.
Department of Labor are among others. She
has written several articles for Essence magazine
and wrote the monthly "Working It" column.
Frequently quoted by journalists, Dr. Bell has
been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New
York Times, Boston Globe, Black
Enterprise, Newsweek, Working
Mother, and Fast Company.
Dr. Bell lives with her Jack Russell Terrier,
Belle in Hanover, New Hampshire and Charlotte,
North Carolina.
Ella Curry
is the best kept secret in publishing. You heard me.
Sorry Ella, but I could not hold off any longer. I had
to let the cat out of the bag. Ella is the creative
and driving force behind the
EDC Creations Media Group.
I have long felt that Ella deserving of wider recognition
and finally decided to do my part to get her what I believe
is her just due.
As an online
magazine publisher, I work with large established publishing
houses as well as self-published authors. Very few
people are as committed to helping people succeed as Ella.
She is a literary angel.
If you have a
manuscript, book or an idea for one,
EDC Creationsprovides one stop shopping to handle all your
needs by offering top-quality marketing services, graphic
design, website and image development, event consulting and
print production services.
And the most
important aspect of the
EDC
team is that your treated like a loving family member.
Hey don't take my word for it. Do your own research.
Here's to you
Ella. The best kept secret in publishing (until now).
Played in Full - The
Marketing Exploitation of Black America
By Robert
L. Gatewood, MBA
Overview
We’ve all heard the exclamations about how much money flows through the
Black community. One day I was driving down the street and I was simply
overcome by curiosity (If there had been a cat in the road, he would
have certainly been run over on this day). I asked myself, “Why is it
that Black America, which has a larger Gross National Product than many
sovereign nations, can’t quite seem to get a grip on its financial
security.
If you have ever seen one of those B movies where the guy is doing
something dastardly and catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror then
you can relate to what happened to me. As I set out to solve the
financial conundrum of Black America, I was parking my luxury automobile
and happened to get a glimpse of myself. What I saw was “exhibit A”
looking right back at me. But I didn’t just see one me, I saw three
me’s; me the executive archetype (someone who knows better than most how
to connect the dots between and someone’s wallet and a cash register.) I
saw me the individual (not the Black American monolith), and it was the
last me that scared me … I saw me the consumer (someone who himself has
often spent beyond his means, and is now wearing a big bull’s eye right
between his eyes.). Now that’s a revelation for you.
I consider myself a rather smart fellow. Graduated with honors
everywhere I went to school, high school, college, MBA you name it. It
dawned on me, that if a smart guy like me has a hole in his wallet, this
problem just might be bigger than the failure to learn the three R’s.
So as I tackled this problem, I also found myself introspecting.
All of us can’t be marchers or prolific speakers. But as I say in my
book, everybody’s good at something. I happen to be an expert marketer,
and I have decided to use it to use my skills to right some wrongs.
Hopefully my book will inspire other like-minded people to become fellow
wrong-righters, but, in their respective areas of influence.
So I encourage everybody to do what they do best in general for the
overall welfare of fellow Blacks but for the purposes of this book and
my mission, I’d like to target some those energies on a specific
objective. Let’s coalesce around a common goal of plugging the seemingly
ceaseless hole in the pocketbook of Black America. If for no other
reason, let’s do it so that our children, like so many of the other
races, will have some kind of a future when its there turn at bat.
Click On Photo To Enlarge
Many of Us Make Enough Money
– We could always use some more but…. If we just put what we already
have to better use, you’d be amazed how well-off most of us actually
are.
YOU Have Been Trained to Spend Your Money, THE PLAYERS Have Been Trained
to Take It
I couldn’t create a less fair fight if I tried. It’s like going fishing
where the fish have been trained to jump in your boat.
Nobody Wants to Admit He’s Been Marketed -
Reminds of me of what drove Harriet Tubman nuts. She said she could have
freed more people if only more people realized they were slaves.
Everybody Plays the Fool, Sometimes -
Just
like the group Main Ingredient use to sing in their hey-day, we are all
game. Some tell-tale signs include: Smoking - Tithing more than saving -
Car note as high as house note –Still paying for last year’s Xmas -
And more!
Enlightenment is not retroactive – I used to smoke.
It wasn’t the health aspects of it that made me stop. The more familiar
I became with marketing, the more I realized that I myself had been
marketed… I had been downright played. In fact I remember the time and
place the light bulb went off. It was about 12 years ago when I was
leaving Tucker Road Park over in Oxon Hill. I just pulled to the side of
the road, threw the cigarettes in a trash can and haven’t picked up
another one since.
It’s a War on the Wallets of Blacks -
It’s an economic struggle that’s not just fought in the store aisles on
Christmas Eve. It’s a generational battle that’s fought in the head. The
heads of Black consumers are on one side; the heads of institutional
forces on the other. In a one-on-one contest, chances for Black America
are not the best, but winnable. But over the generations, the Players
have coalesced into a virtually invincible foe. It’s not the individual
efforts of the Players that are the threat; it’s the synergistic
application of all of them that provides the knockout punch.
The Secret Weapon – Sleeping with the Enemy -
The Players employ a secret weapon that makes your chances of winning
virtually impossible. This stealth squad does a better job than the
Players themselves ever could. It includes General Grandma, Captain
Co-worker, Sergeant Spouse, First Lieutenant Father, Major Mom, and an
infinite number of Foot-Soldiering Friends.
Like Lambs to the Slaughter -
The Players employ some effective tactics that are very difficult to
combat. When applied together they provide the perfect storm.
Social Proof -
also known as herd mentality, desire to belong or by its common name of
“keeping up with the Joneses.”
Mental Externalism
- a mindset where you believe that you have little or no control over
the events in your life
Fear -
the trump card that surfaces s when all else fails.
All
Players Are Not Created Equal - The
Players don’t the wear a big “P” on their foreheads. Anyone can be a
player. There are basically 4 types of Players:
-
Pathological Incorrigible Malevolent Player (PIMP)
-
Passive Opportunistic Player (POP)
- Philanthropic Accidental Player (PAP)
-
Positive Enlightened Player (PEP)
Who Are
the Players?
Who are
these people who are adept at parting Black Americans from their
hard-earned money?
Man or woman - Any race, culture or nationality - Person,
institution or government – Needs someone to play - And more!
Specific Players:
The Government, Politicians, Military, the Courts, Schools, Employers,
Schools,
Santa
Claus, the Church and Others!
You Already Have the Answer!
Is the fate of Black America resigned to that of being fodder for the
Players of the world? Is the purse of Black America an irreparable
sieve? The answer lies within. Breaking the grip of economic dependency
and derelict spending takes an individual effort.
Our Children Are Watching
– I'm doing this for the next generation. I’ve wasted enough money for a
three lifetimes. So this is no longer about me. I’m gladly throwing
myself on the grenade for our Black children who are on deck to be
played by the next generation of Players … if we fail to act now!
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Robert Gatewood
at www.playedinfull.com/25 or 866-292-4800.
Filmmaker Jordan Coleman
By Vanessa Werts
Nickelodeon
voiceover actor Jordan Coleman is no ordinary 12-year-old. While
most boys his age spent the summer playing sports, relaxing, or hanging
out at the mall, Jordan was on a seven city tour screening his debut
film, Say It Loud!
The pre-teen dynamo, wrote, directed and produced the
Say it Loud!
film, which explores the importance of education for
African-American boys. Even more impressive, the young filmmaker
started the project when he was only 10-years old.
Inspired by a challenge from his mother to give back to the community,
the idea for Say It Loud! was born. Based on Jordan’s perception
of boys, and their lack of interest in school, particularly
African-American boys, Jordan decided to make a movie to encourage his
peers.
Jordan used his earnings from his job as the voice of
Tyrone the
Moose on Nick Jr.’s the Backyardigans, to fund the
film.
A year and a half in the making,
Say it Loud! features interviews
with professional athletes, entertainers, politicians, educators, police
officers, friends of Jordan and men who wish they had studied harder
when they were his age. A list of those interviewed includes: Kobe
Bryant, Michael Strahan, Vince Carter, Ludacris, Yung Joc, Master P, Al
Sharpton, Newark Mayor Cory Booker and many others.
Photos
from left to right: Photo #1: Jordan with Rev. Al Sharpton, Photo
#2: Michael Strahan, Photo#3: Yung Joc Photo #4: Master
P
Click On
Photos To Enlarge
Say it Loud!
Promotes having a “Plan B.” When dreams of becoming a
professional athlete, rapper or superstar fall short of the goal,
having an education is more than just something to fall back on.
The film also addresses what is called the “Fourth Grade
Syndrome.” A point educationally, where many African-American
boys lack the basic skills to perform on or above grade level, so
many give up and become behavioral problems.
Jordan Coleman
is a spectacular young man with an infectious personality, and enough
wisdom for a lifetime. This ambitious young filmmaker is well on his
way to greatness.
Move over
Spike Lee! Make room for Jordan Coleman!
The Jordan Coleman Interview
BMIA: I understand you’ve been traveling to cities across the country
screening the film. What has that been like?
Jordan: Yes. And I actually just came back from a seven city tour
around the United States. I had some of my friends come on the tour
with me, we explored different things, I signed autographs, met new
people and just hung out. It was fantastic!
BMIA: Where did you get the idea to do a film on African-American boys
and education?
Jordan:
Um from school. I felt a little bit that in school boys don’t really
care for school, they just want to be the next basketball or football
star. They want to be a rapper or the next superstar. They don’t know
that school plays an important role in being a superstar.
BMIA:I see that you interviewed quite a few celebrities. What was that
like?
Jordan:
It was great! I mean my eyes and my mouth opened actually when I saw
the celebrities in real life. I actually interviewed Kobe [Bryant]
in Los Angeles during the seven city tour. He sent me and my brother a
pair of sneakers. That was pretty cool.
Kobe Bryant and Ludacris
with Jordan
Click On Photos To Enlarge
BMIA: How have your peers received the film?
Jordan:
They loved the film. And they want to be in my next film if I make
another one. But they just love it. They ask me questions all the time
about it.
BMIA: Why do you personally think boys blow off their education and
think that it’s not important?
Jordan:
I personally think they blow off their education because they’re kind of
lazy in a way. They don’t want to work as hard as other boys do. They
just want to play sports, hang around, play video games, go to the mall
and do stuff like that.
BMIA: What motivates you for education?
Jordan:
My mom. She’s a hard knock. She loves school, and she pushes me hard
to do well in school.
BMIA: What is your favorite subject?
Jordan:
My favorite subjects are Math and Science.
BMIA: What do you like to do when you’re not working or in school?
Jordan:
Ahh man...when I’m not in school and not working, I’m usually at
football practice. I love football. It’s my favorite sport. I eat,
drink, sleep, go to school, work, and play football. Me and my dad talk
about football all the time. And I like to go to the movies, hang out,
go to the beach and play video games.
BMIA: What are your plans for the future?
Jordan:
I want to be a sports broadcaster. That’s my biggest dream and to play
college football.
BMIA: Do you realize how special you are?
Jordan:
Yes, I do. (Modestly said)
BMIA: Do you have plans for any more movies?
Jordan:
Yes. Actually I made a reality show treatment for television.
Hopefully I’m making another movie coming out about sports.
Interviewer’s Notes:
Say It Loud!
was featured as part of AMC Theatres 2008 Summer Movie Camp.
Jordan is the first independent filmmaker to partner with the national
movie chain. The film was screened in New York City, Washington DC,
Kansas City, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami.
When I asked Jordan who his favorite interviews were with, he said,
“Kobe Bryant, definitely. He was the best.” Kobe played basketball
with Jordan and even sent him and his brother, Justin, a pair of
snickers. Jordan also enjoyed his interview with Michael Strahan.
“He was a lot of fun. He was hilarious,” says Jordan. After the taping
the two talked football.
With the
Say It Loud! Film, Jordan may have stumbled upon the key
ingredient in reaching our youth as he encourages and relates from a
child’s perspective.
If you missed the screening, the
Say It Loud!
Book is available free online at
www.sayitloudfilm.com
with a $15 donation. You can also make donations on the Web site and
book private screenings for your church or school. Jordan’s goal is to
show his film to 100,000 people by the end of the year.
This interview was conducted on August 27,
2008 by Vanessa Werts. Thank you Mary L. Moore
from So Much Moore Communications for making this interview
possible.
Black Inventors Develop Autopsy Apparatus
Inventors James Gary
and Sam Merrill
Our “Black In Reality” features
two black inventors, Sam Merrill and James Gary of S & J
Scientific Association, Inc. We spent some time with Sam and Jim
discussing their autopsy apparatus invention. Read our exclusive
interview with them below.
BMIA.com: Tell us about
S & J
Scientific Association, Inc. and the autopsy apparatus invention?
Sam & Jim:
We were both working
our way through school at a hospital in Bethesda, Maryland assisting
with autopsies. We were looking for a better, faster and safer way to
remove the brain during autopsy. When we received our patent we needed
a name for a company and came up with S & J Scientific Association
(Sam & Jim). At the time of the invention we had been working in the
medical field for approximately 20 years.
BMIA.com: Did you guys set out to
be inventors or did this invention evolve out of necessity?
Sam & Jim:
No we didn’t set out
to be inventors. We both worked at a major hospital in Bethesda,
Maryland and we both assisted the Pathologist in performing autopsies.
It was our responsibility to remove the brain which was a very tedious
process and we said there has to be a better way and that is how we
became inventors.
BMIA.com: How long did it take
for you to get your invention developed and legally protected? Was the
process difficult?
Sam & Jim:
The entire process
took approximately 7 years from idea to patent. To us the process was
not difficult but was more time consuming. We knew what we wanted the
instrument to do and how to design it for that purpose. However, when
our design was laid out on paper to build the prototype we were told by
Associated Design and Engineering that it would not work as we designed
it and they wanted to make changes to make it work properly. They went
forward with their design only to find out that their design would not
work. They then went back to our original design to make the prototype
and it worked properly.
BMIA.com: What makes your
invention unique?
Sam & Jim:
When conducting an
autopsy: This tool has an automatic depth control and an ability to
adjust cutting speed from a minimum of 30 seconds to 4 minutes. The
automatic depth control prevents damage to the brain tissue. The cutter
is designed to cut only bone.
The apparatus’ cutter is mounted on a
carrier to move radically toward and away from the axis of the skull.
As the cutter is moved around the skull, it maintains its position
despite the irregular contour of the skull.
The casting of the cutting head can take
the form of a hand piece of a cable driven power tool. The circular
blade saw is driven from a remotely located motor to minimize the weight
and bulk of the cutting head when mounted on the carrier or when it is
used manually.
The cutting head of the apparatus can
also be used manually to cut the entire skullcap without using the
carrier.
More importantly, other cuttings can be
done manually during autopsy, such as cutting of the skullcap with
minimal manual assistance. This apparatus can be wheel mounted for easy
mobility and can be quickly moved from cadaver to cadaver.
BMIA.com: Without being too
technical, what are the benefits to the medical and health community?
Sam & Jim:
The autopsy apparatus
saves valuable time during an autopsy procedure. It does not require
that a person hold the cutting saw manually. It is designed to minimize
the spread of bone dust that can contaminate the work environment,
especially if the patient had a communicable disease such as, but not
limited to: hepatitis, AIDS, and tuberculosis. The apparatus is designed
to protect the user from bodily injury.
BMIA.com: What is the target
market for your invention?
Sam & Jim:
This apparatus’
targeted markets are: Medical Examiners, Hospitals, Medical Schools and
Veterinaries.
BMIA.com: Your inventions seems
like it is geared toward a very specific market. Have you had any
buyers for your product?
Sam & Jim:
Our instrument is
geared for a specific highly specialized area of medicine. It is used
to speed up the process of removing the brain during autopsy to
determine the cause of death. Autopsies are mandatory in certain
situations. We have had some interest in our product, but no buyer
yet. We believe this is because the individuals that make the decision
in the research and purchase of this instrument are not the ones to use
it, so it does not matter to them.
BMIA.com: What are some of the
challenges facing inventors and how have you managed those challenges of
being an inventor?
Sam & Jim:
First of all you
cannot let rejection deter you because there will be many during the
planning and development stages and the patent process. Because of
this, one must have a lot of patience, tenacity and perseverance. You
must make sure your invention will theoretical work as planned. Finding
a company with enough medical knowledge and engineering skills to
produce a highly specific working prototype was a major challenge.
Another challenge was finding a Patent Attorney specializing in medical
instrumentation who could conduct a patent search to see if your
invention is patentable and that something similar to your invention is
not already on file in the patent office. The attorney must also be
able to respond to the patent examiner and be able to move your idea
through the process to obtain a patent. One of the biggest challenges
was that some of the companies that were interested in the invention did
not want to sign a non-disclosure statement.
BMIA.com: Do black inventors face
different challenges?
Sam & Jim:
We are certain that
Black inventors would face all kinds of challenges if they tried to
patent a different product because they would have to be out front more
often. However, our invention is such a highly specialized medical
instrument that companies would never believe that we are black because
they don’t think blacks would have the intellectual ability or knowledge
to invent such a highly specialized medical instrument. Our patent
attorney told us that she wants to take the up front lead when
communicating with companies that wanted to talk with us about our
invention and she would bring us in at the right time. So what does that
tell you? We do all of the email and phone communications.
BMIA.com: What advice would you
give to people who want to be inventors?
Sam & Jim:
Protect yourself and
your invention from day one. Be careful who you discuss your idea with.
Pursue your idea and don’t let obstacles stop you. Be aware of and have
knowledge of the long process from idea to prototype to patent. Have
the financial resources or make arrangements for them if needed. Have a
lot of patience. Do not communicate with companies or anyone that is not
willing to sign a non-disclosure statement.
BMIA.com: How can anyone reading
this article learn more and help you?
Sam & Jim:
They can contact us directly for more information and any
questions. There is a very small target market because of the highly
specialized medical instrument. However, a company or manufacturer that
has the ability to mass produce the instrument at a good price and know
the advantages of this product compared to what is on the market now
will be able to help us and themselves a great deal. Any interested
party can visit our web site at:
http://www.autopsysandj.com.
THE GODFATHER: IN SPORTS TALK AND THE COMMUNITY
Tackling a new frontier…obesity in
our children!
By Maggie
Linton
Harold and Hattie Bell founded
Kids In Trouble (KIT) during the
1968 riots in Washington, DC. It became an official non-profit
volunteer organization in 1986. For over 40 years the program has
worked closely with school principals, administrators, parents,
teachers, counselors, youth advocates and community support staff.
Kids In Trouble, Inc. is one of the most successful independent
self-help organizations in America. The program has benefited thousands
of inner-children. It has survived with in-kind donations from friends
and quite often using money from their own pockets. They have sent kids
to camp and obtained college scholarships, helped kids attend national
sporting events, plus coordinated clothing and toy drives for flood
victims in North Carolina. KIT has also hosted youth gang and
Black History Month conferences and provided mentors and motivational
speakers. These services are all a part of the program’s long and
storied history.
Harold was once a kid in trouble and was “going to hell in a hurry”
according to his middle school Principal William B. Stinson. He boldly
predicted to Harold’s mother Mattie Bell…“Your son will not live to get
out of high school.” Harold was saved by an earth angel, Spingarn High
School’s legendary Coach Dave Brown and the rest is community and
sports talk radio history.
Harold and his heroes, Mayor Walter
Washington and Coach Dave Brown
In 1997 Kids In Trouble, Inc. coordinated a youth gang conference at
Bible Way Church in NW Washington, DC. The conference’s host was
Pastor James Silverman and co-chaired by
Jim Brown (NFL) and
Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA). Gang members from New York,
Philadelphia, New Jersey, DC, Virginia and as far away as Los Angeles
were in attendance. It was during this conference Congressman Davis was
first forewarned that MS-13 was moving into his Fairfax jurisdiction.
Since that warning MS-13 has become one of the most feared gangs in
America.
KIT
Conference Celebrity participants: Sam Jones (NBA), Jim Brown (NFL), Tom
Davis (R-Vir), Spencer Haywood (NBA) and Sonny Hill (NBA)
There are 2.1 million people in jail in America, the largest inmate
population in the world. Blacks make up only 12% of the American
population. However 42% of American Black men between the ages of 15-29
are either in custody of the courts or are incarcerated. Many new jails
are underground and many of the white wardens are millionaires, sound
familiar? Minority youth are dropping out of school at twice the rate
of White children. Youth gun violence is also off the charts.
The KIT toy party for needy children is the crown-jewel of the program.
This year Harold and Hattie Bell will celebrate 40years of marriage and toy parties in November and December
respectively. The toy party is the longest on going community based
program in America. Their community programs have also being copied
around the country by the media and pro sports teams. In the NBA it is
called “The NBA CARES.”
Living Legends, Harold,
Hattie T & Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams While in DC Doug wore two hats
---he was Santa Claus for the KIT toy party
The Health is Wealth
tour is just one of many efforts used by KIT to reach at risk youth.
The program includes introducing people who have managed to break away
from the violence. For example; Rappers (Poetry & Gospel) Alvin
Bowman and Kevin Megginson are two young men from the streets
of Baltimore. They bring messages of hope such as, “I have been
there and done that and it ain’t worth the trip.” Their words of
wisdom should be heard by every minority child in America. Their unique
presentations and messages about “The Game Called Life” leave
young audiences spellbound. The young men’s backgrounds are as
different as day and night. Alvin is college educated and had both
parents at home. Kevin is from a dysfunctional family and a high school
drop-out. Despite their differences they have a lot in common both have
PhDs when it comes to the ABC’s of survival on the ‘mean streets’ of
America.
Alvin aka “Testimony”
is in the process of completing his second solo project titled ‘Testimony…Somebody
Prayed For Me.’ He was a finalist in the 2001 Russell Simmons
HBO Def Jam Poetry competition held at Security Mall in Baltimore,
MD. He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Kevin, aka “Da Fisherman,”
his words are heart felt, real and anointed. He has been where he wants
none of his young listeners to ever go---jail. He has spent the
majority of his life there. His life experiences, often heard in his
lyrics, are his living testimony. In 2001, he surrendered and vowed to
give his life totally to Christ. His promise was to spread the gospel
about his life and death experiences. He hopes his message will help
other young people avoid the pitfalls and often man made obstacles that
almost took away his freedom for good. Kevin has traveled up and down
the East Coast and was a finalist at the McDonald’s Gospel Fest
in 2003 and 2004. He has also performed at the Apollo Theatre.
Alvin and Kevin’s messages are roadmaps for young people to travel for a
better way of life. The only requirement is for them is to listen and
hopefully heed their advice.
Da
Fisherman & Testimony testify before a group of high school students
Hattie and Harold’s new initiative obesity in our children is a national
health crisis. The tour will travel throughout communities, working to
instill the values of life and encourage healthy eating and exercise
habits. They hope the tour will heighten awareness in children’s mental
and physical health. Their goal is to save one child at a time.
According to data compiled from the University of South Carolina, Rural
vs. Urban, 30 percent of America’s children between the ages of 10-17
are overweight, 14.8 percent are obese. Urban minority children are
more likely to be overweight than rural children. Black children (41.2
percent) are more likely to be overweight than Hispanic (38 percent) and
white children (26.7 percent). The DC metropolitan area has the highest
proportion of overweight children. Kids In Trouble has had the
opportunity to observe young people on playgrounds, in schools and
churches. The imagines they see are astonishing. One can estimate for
each child obesity effects it will touch between 5-7 friends, neighbors,
students, teachers, teammates and others out side of the family. These
children will be bullied and picked on because of their overweight
issues. Being overweight can cause sadness, stress, self-hate and
suicide. It can also lead young people to drop out of school. Many
will seek gangs as a refuge and can lead to unwanted pregnancy among
females looking for love in all the wrong places. This is just some of
the many destructive elements and obstacles facing our diverse community
and affecting minority young people in particular. “Where’s the beef?”
You have to look no further than our children. Hattie and Harold say,
“Sitting around and doing nothing is not an option.”
Harold is also a legendary and award winning sports talk show host. His
‘Inside Sports’ talk format has been used to defend the likes of
legendary fight promoter Don King, the NFL’s greatest football
player, Jim Brown, former Georgetown basketball Coach John
Thompson, and boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard. Against an
often hostile media, he stood up for them when they could not stand up
for themselves. The Inside Sports format has being copied on
sports talk radio and television around the world. Harold was the first
sports media personality to be named “Washingtonian of the Year.”
In 2008 the Pigskin Club of DC honored him with a Living
Legends Award. On October 10, 2007 he added another chapter to his
legendary community career. He helped save a 16-year old autistic child
from a certain death. Denise Coleman had fallen onto the tracks at the
Potomac Avenue subway station in SE Washington, DC. Harold, with help
from two metro workers, Adrian Avant and Michael Banks
pulled the child from the tracks seconds before an on-coming train
arrived. She was definitely a kid in trouble.
Harold Bell and Jim Brown
Some of
Kids In Trouble, Inc. and Inside Sports program’s
benefactors read like a Who’s Who in the world of black media, James
Brown (CBS), John Thompson (ESPN), Michael Wilbon (ESPN), Dave Aldridge
(TNT), Sugar Ray Leonard (ESPN), Adrian Branch (ESPN), Cathy Hughes,
Alfred Liggins, Jeff Majors and Butch McAdams (Radio One), Glenn Harris
(TV 8 sports talk), Jamie Foster Brown (Sister to Sister Magazine), and
Omar Tyree (best selling author). Sports columnist Dick Heller
of the Washington Times says “Harold Bell is the Godfather of
Sports talk radio—the good kind.”
The
KIT team also includes, Ms. Julia Dunkins (founder of
Survivors of Homicide), Ms. LaShonne Williams (The Center for
True Justice and Healing, Inc.). These two ladies both lost children to
gun violence. Ms. Dunkins in 1993 and Ms. Williams in 2007. Rounding
out the team is: original member Andrew Johnson, a former DC
Homicide Detective and agent for the DEA; Theo Brooks, a Roving
Leader for the DC Recreation Department and a leading authority on youth
gangs in the DC Metropolitan area. Theo has written a book entitled
“Gangs in the Shadows of the White House.”
During his high school
daysat Cardozo, Hattie taught him and Harold coached him in
football. It looks like they taught and coached him well. Like his
mentors he has become a legend in the inner-city for his work with
at-risk children.
To volunteer or make a donation to
Kids In
Trouble, Inc. e-mail Harold Bell at:
hkbell@comcast.net
or call 240-245-3008.
Maggie Linton is a pioneer in sports talk radio and television. She was
the first woman Sports Anchor on TV in Wichita, KS, St. Louis and
Washington, DC. Maggie has also worked on Network TV and in feature
films. She hosts a radio talk show on XM Satellite Radio, Saturday
nights at 10:00 pm on XM 169.
The Game Of Tennis: An African American Journey
by Bernard A. Chavis is an interesting account of a man who
has seen a lot of problems in terms of race and inequality. It
really makes you wonder why more African Americans don't have an
interest in the game of tennis. It will really get you thinking of a
solution to improve African American participation in the sport.
Mr. Chavis was a standout basketball and football player growing up
in Washington, DC, but never seriously considered playing tennis
when he was young. In a recent interview with Tennis Week
magazine, Chavis stated: "During my youth, playing tennis was out
of the question," Chavis says. "It was not considered a manly sport
and if any of my friends saw a Negro youngster even pick up a
racket, that unfortunate youngster would be teased and ridiculed for
days on end."
Chavis went to college (Villanova University) on a basketball
scholarship. He taught himself how to play tennis and went on to
serve as national president of the American Tennis Association.
In his book Mr. Chavis examines the barriers that prevented blacks
and other minorities from playing and enjoying the game of tennis.
As an administrator and ambassador of the game Mr. Chavis is sharing
his experiences to level the playing game for the sport that he
loves so that young men like me won’t be denied the physical and
business rewards associated with the game of tennis.
GM's Corvette
Plant Manager Honored by the Engineering Deans of Historically Black
Colleges and Universities
Unique Award Created to Recognize Wilmer
Cooksey's Longtime Dedication to African-American Education
Wilmer Cooksey
Detroit, MI
(BlackNews.com) - The Council of Engineering Deans of the
Historically Black Colleges and Universities will recognize GM
Corvette plant manager Wilmer Cooksey with its Lifetime Service
award for his longtime dedication to education for African
Americans. The group will present the prestigious award to Cooksey,
a former college professor, on Saturday, Feb. 16 during the Black
Engineer of the Year Award program in Baltimore.
"Many
people leave the workplace for academia, but Wil did the opposite:
he brought his advanced academic knowledge to the shop floor," said
Gary Cowger, GM group vice president of Global Manufacturing and
Labor Relations, who will speak about Cooksey 's achievements during
the award ceremony. "We are grateful for the leadership he has
brought to GM manufacturing, and we're proud of his lifetime
commitment to education."
The award was created especially for Cooksey, who was an
assistant professor in industrial engineering at General
Motors Institute in Flint, Mich. before taking his first job
GM manufacturing job in 1976. Cooksey held leadership
positions at GM plants in St. Louis, Atlanta and Fairfax,
Kan. before being named plant manager of GM's only Chevy
Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Ky. in 1993. Under
Cooksey's direction, the Corvette and the plant have won
numerous awards. Cooksey, who has called running the
Corvette plant his "dream job," announced his retirement
effective March 1.
Cooksey serves on the Tennessee State University Foundation
Board of Trustees, the Western Kentucky University School of
Business Advisory Board, the Western Kentucky University
College of Education and Behavioral Science, Drug Abuse
Resistance Education Advisory Council and the Advancing
Minorities' Interest in Engineering (AMIE) Board of
Directors.
A
native of Fort Worth, Texas, Cooksey earned a bachelor's
degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee State
University in 1965 and a master's degree in industrial
engineering from the University of Toledo in 1972. He
completed postgraduate work in mechanical engineering at
Michigan State University.
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest
automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader
for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about
280,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in
Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35
countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks
were sold globally under the following brands: Buick,
Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel,
Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's OnStar
subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety,
security and information services. More information on GM
can be found at
www.gm.com
Brenda Rios GM Communications Phone: (313) 655-3165 Email: brenda.rios@gm.com
Many of you were introduced to Wilmer “Wil” Cooksey, Jr., through
our exclusive interview with him in 2003. Mr. Cooksey was named
manager of the world's only Corvette plant in February of 1993. As a
lifelong fan of the car, it was a dream job come true.
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Mr. Cooksey received a Bachelor of
Science degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee State
University in 1965. He earned a Master's degree in industrial
engineering from the University of Toledo in 1972 and completed post
graduate work in mechanical engineering at Michigan State
University.
A Distinguished Graduate of the Officer's Training School, Cooksey
served as an executive officer in the U.S. Army Artillery, 1st
Lieutenant. His last assignment was a year in Vietnam. For his
efforts while in Vietnam, he was awarded the bronze medal.
Mr. Cooksey's General Motors career is the epitome of achievement
beginning with his first job as an assistant professor in industrial
engineering at GMI in Flint, Michigan to his current position.
Mr. Cooksey’s accomplishments are long and historic. In 1997
Cooksey received the "Black Engineer of the Year President's
Award." Also in 1997, Austin Peay University named him
"Achiever of the Year" in their Focus Program. He also received
a Presidential Citation from the National Association for Equal
Opportunity in Higher Education in recognition of exemplary
experience that honors Tennessee State University. Dollars & Sense
Magazine honored Cooksey in their 1998 "Salute to
America's Best & Brightest Business and Professional Men and Women."
Cooksey is featured on the cover of African Americans on
Wheelsmagazine as they named the Corvette
the "Best Urban Car of the Year." He has been honored as an
Outstanding Graduate of Tennessee State and named a
"Black
Achiever in the Industry" by the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference.
You can read Gary Johnson’s exclusive 2003 interview with Mr.
Cooksey below.
BMIA.com:How important of a factor was education in your accomplishments?
Education has been critical to my success. In the 1950’s and 60’s
you couldn’t expect or dream about opportunities if you didn’t
further your education. The same holds true today. Growing up I
saw so many people who were not given the professional opportunities
available because of a lack of education. My mother taught my
siblings as well as myself the importance of education. In fact,
all eight of us went to college. An education is something no one
can ever take away from you.
BMIA.com: You’re involved in a lot of community service work. Were you taught
as a child to be a good citizen or is this something that you
learned later in life in the work world?
Growing up in a lower-income, blue-collar family in Texas, we
depended on services to help us out during certain times. Even
though my mom worked full-time in a hospital, money was very tight.
There were quite a few times when services would bring food or
Christmas presents to the house for us kids.
Now I am in a position to return the favor and help others.
Supporting my community through the United Way and educational
institutions, like Tennessee State University (TSU), are very
important to our workplace and to me.
BMIA.com: Who influenced you the most?
Wil Cooksey: My mother always had her sights set on
earning a college education. However, she was burdened by taking
care of our family and working full-time. She took night courses
and always kept trying. She was absolutely delighted when I as well
as my siblings earned our college degrees. It was her focus and
determination that influenced me the most growing up.
My wife, Dr. Elizabeth Cooksey, has also been a great influence in
my life. We met while we were in college at TSU. It was with her
guidance and example that I saw the importance of getting a great
education as well as having a good social life. She’s been a
guiding light ever since. This year we’ll celebrate our 40th
wedding anniversary.
BMIA.com:
What’s your position on Affirmative Action in the workplace?
Wil Cooksey: Affirmative Action is absolutely
necessary. I believe that organizations are aware of the importance
of diversity. However, many do not have the action steps behind it
to support creating a diverse workforce. Unfortunately, you are not
going to get the right mix of people automatically.
In today’s competitive market it is very difficult to recruit the
best and brightest. It takes a good recruiting program to attract
the talent and diversity that companies need to be successful. It
requires mentoring, training and hiring practices that bring in
people who are going to continue to grow and challenge traditional
thought.
BMIA.com:
Based on your experiences, how does someone fight racism and sexism
in America?
Wil Cooksey: The most important way to fight racism or
sexism is not to feed or perpetuate it. You cannot win if you use
racism to fight racism. Every individual has to walk the talk and
set the example of how you as an individual want to be treated.
Education is the key. I believe that ignorance is the basis for
most of the racism and sexism that we see in our society. We will
all have a greater understanding of one another if we support
educational programs and opportunities for all different kinds of
people.
BMIA.com:
What was your earliest or most vivid recollection of being
“different?”
Wil Cooksey: I never really realized that I was
different until I started wanting to go to the movies with my
friends. Not only was I black and had to sit in the upper balcony
but I was also tall. In fact I was so tall for my age that I had to
carry my birth certificate with me so the movie attendants would
believe that I was 10 years old. Otherwise, I would have had to pay
more than 10 cents to see some of the greatest westerns ever made.
It is at that age that I realized the inequities between the races.
By working and being surrounded by all types of people, I quickly
learned that if I was going to be successful you have to have a
better understanding of all people.
BMIA.com:
What would you say has been your biggest success to date? (Personal
and/or business).
Wil Cooksey: My entire career I have focused on
becoming the plant manager of the world’s greatest sports car, the
Chevrolet Corvette. The success that the car and the plant
have had – winning more than 55 industry awards – in the past 5
years and launching the brand new Cadillac XLR means a great
deal to me. It has taken the teamwork and focus of everyone at
Bowling Green Assembly.
Personally, my greatest success is being happily married to my wife
for forty years. We’ve been together through degrees, moves, wars,
children and careers. I am very proud of her and her
accomplishments. Most recently she earned her doctorate in
secondary education. It is with her unending support that I am most
successful.
BMIA.com:
Did you have any mentors growing up?
Wil Cooksey: When I first hired into General Motors your mentors were people you
didn’t even know. They worked behind the scenes making sure that
you were given opportunities that you would traditionally be looked
over for. I began my career as a professor at GMI, now Kettering
University, and teaching statistics. However, my goal was to get
back into production management and to become a plant manager. At
that time GM’s Chairman of the Board was Dick Terrell. It was as a
faculty member that I met Mr. Terrell. The board used to come and
have lunches with the faculty quite frequently. He took an interest
in my career and helped me transition to a career in manufacturing
where I eventually became a plant manager. Little did I know that
he was pushing my career from behind the scenes.
Now I serve as a mentor to many students at TSU and I can proudly
look at the careers of employees who have grown up through my
ranks. It is my pleasure and greatest achievement to help mentor
those who have ambition, talent and a drive to succeed.
BMIA.com:
What makes the Corvette so special?
Wil Cooksey: There is no one thing that makes Corvettes
so special. I could talk about all the specific reasons for hours.
Corvettes have to be in your blood. When I lived in Atlanta I
decided that it would be for the best to sell my Corvettes since I
had so many different interests. It didn’t take long before a sense
of loneliness and emptiness set in deep inside me. Corvettes take a
place in your life whether you are driving, washing or showing
them. Very quickly I went to Tom Juniper Chevrolet because I was
having Corvette withdrawal. He let me take a two-toned white and
silver ’82 home right off the lot. I was happy once again. Since
that day I have never been without a Corvette.
Basically Corvettes end up being members of your family. It doesn’t
matter the year or body style, they are all special. You depend on
them and they take car of you.
BMIA.com:
Under
your leadership, Corvette has won a number of prestigious awards.
What did you do to re-establish the Vette and win these awards?
Wil Cooksey: Bowling Green Assembly has been very
successful due to entire team working together to achieve one common
goal. And, that is to be the best assembly plant in the world. Our
organization had to improve its productivity, performance and
quality in order to be more competitive. It took the partnership of
the local UAW to take some bold steps and training of the entire
workforce. We focused on safety and quality.
We also created enthusiasm by listening closely to our customers.
We started to use customer feedback from JD Power, Corvette shows
and other mechanisms to solve quality problems. It took teams of
engineers, management and UAW members working together to get our
quality where it is today. We have learned that if you develop
close relationships and listen to your customers you will be
successful.
BMIA.com: How important is diversity in today’s workplace?
Wil Cooksey: Diversity is essential. In fact it’s
mandatory if you are going to be successful. Our customers are
diverse just as the people would build our products are diverse.
Companies today will not meet the needs of their customer base if
they don’t have the same diversity in the workplace.
There’s strength in diversity, which means there is more than one
way to always look at something. As a leader, if you have a diverse
organization there is a greater probability that you will make the
best decisions for the entire workforce.
BMIA.com: As
you climbed the corporate ladder was it difficult to find a happy
balance between work and family?
Wil Cooksey: Unfortunately, you sacrifice a little bit
of your time. However, you have to take on the challenge to support
your career as well as your family. I didn’t get to go to all of my
son’s track meets or my daughter’s band activities as they were
growing up, but I did go to a majority of them.
It has helped that my wife is a professor and has a demanding
schedule as well. It is important that we both remain flexible and
know one another’s schedule.
BMIA.com:
You are a trailblazer. What advise would you give to someone who
wanted to make a career in corporate America?
Wil Cooksey: Here’s the advice that I would give any
young professional wanting to make a career in corporate America:
-It is important to have an excellent education. Excel in your
studies and take educational opportunities such as internships and
work programs that will give you professional experience in your
field.
-As a student, make sure that you attract company representatives
that can give you good advice and take on a mentorship role. As a
student or young professional, you are going to have to help
navigating your career.
-If you are going to be successful it is imperative that you have
strong people skills. Essentially, all people want to do the right
thing. When entering a new organization you need to be part of the
team and not come in a threatening manner.
-Always show initiative. Remember, it is deeds not words that get
the job done. You have to be known for getting the job done
successfully.
-Finally, no matter what the job is remember to always do your best.
Never let anyone see your displeasure with a certain job or let them
see you sweat. Go into each job to make the most of it. If you
always do your best, no one including yourself, will ever be able to
question your integrity.
BMIA.com:
What’s next for Corvette?
Wil Cooksey: We’re very excited about the future of
Corvette both with the 2004 model and the upcoming C6. It has been
a great pleasure to be involved and contribute to three generations
of Corvettes.
BMIA.com:
What’s next for Wil Cooksey?
Wil Cooksey: It’s my goal to have a pleasant and
enjoyable end of my career. The most rewarding thing is to see the
people’s lives that I’ve touched as they go on ahead and achieve
great things. There’s never a dull moment in my life. I am always
ready for the next challenge.
BMIA.com:
Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers that I didn’t
ask?
Wil Cooksey: People are your greatest resource. It’s
amazing what you can achieve when everyone works together. You’re
greatest strength is those who surround and support you.
Leonard Rowe
“The Man Behind The Tour”
Leonard Rowe
is a soldier in an industry that can be cut throat,
racially discriminatory and relentlessly unyielding. His work
provides jobs to communities across the country and many don't even
know to credit him or his kind for bringing money into black communities.
His work may seem like a fun and
glamorous career, but he is quick to pull the sheet back on the
scathing bed of corruption that holds the deep dark secrets of this
field.
Despite the many drawbacks and situations that occur as he pushes
forward he finds enjoyment in his work and feels he has not only a
right but a purpose in staying. His staying power is quickly
credited to God and those who have supported him. Leonard Rowe sees beyond
the concerns and problems and realizes that giving up will not make
the path any easier for his predecessors, nor will his fight for
justice be one that is fought with any more ease for those who
remain behind.
So
who is Leonard Rowe and what does he do? Is he a literal soldier in
the armed forces? Does he work in the corporate world and bang his
head on the glass ceiling we all have heard of? Is he out there
fighting the “good ol’ boy” system of politics? No…he's a top flight
concert promoter. And yet he manages to shed light on an
industry that still has deep roots in a racist thrust toward
monetary power shifts within the entertainment industry.
I
asked Mr. Rowe if he knew a lot about promoting and just how he got
started and he began to recant his genesis. “I started promoting in
1975. And it was on a whim that I started promoting. I was in love
with a group at the time called The Spinners. I wasn’t
thinking about entering into the industry at all. I just wanted to
see The Spinners perform. So a friend of mine and I flew out
of Atlanta to Newark, New Jersey to see the Spinners. We got up
there around noon and we decided to go downtown to Symphony Hall to
where they were playing. I went down to the building and the line
was two blocks long. At that particular time, the tickets were
seven dollars [in Newark] which was high because down South the
tickets are traditionally lower than they are up North. So that
seven dollars was extremely high and I thought it was a lot of
money. As I stood in that line about a block away from the
building, I mumbled out to myself, talking out loud “I wonder who’s
getting all these seven dollars.” And some guy who was standing in
line said, “The promoter gets these seven dollars.” I didn’t know
what a promoter was or what he did but I made up in my mind that
that was what I was gonna be and here I am some 32 years later.
So basically that is how I got interested and into the industry.”
Rowe continues with the story, telling of his first loss and how
important it was to have a strong support system. “I went from
there and started learning as much as I could learn on my own
because, no one helps you in this business. No one volunteers
advice. I went from there and met a good banker who was my friend,
and is my friend today. He went out on a limb and loaned me a few
thousand dollars, which I lost, but I was able to keep going doing
about two shows a year. So with him on my side, and by the grace of
God, I was always able to keep going. But, to get ahead, I always
tell people it’s like obtaining credit. You could be a person
coming out of college with no credit…never had bad credit and never
had good credit. You walk into a bank and ask for a Visa and that
banker will deny you nine times out of ten; not because you have bad
credit but because you have no credit at all. You can go across the
street to another bank and ask for a Master Charge and a banker
there might see something in you and take a chance with you and say,
‘Come on…I ain’t supposed to do this but I will issue you a Master
Charge.’” Once he gives you that Master Charge you can go
immediately back across the street and ask for a Visa and they will
give it to you, so it’s like that in promoting.”
I
couldn’t help but wonder who the first act was that gave him a
chance. Rowe affectionately talks about that break like it was
yesterday. “I was able [to get a big act] a few years after I
started, I was never able to get a real superstar artist, to talk to
one of the biggest groups in the country at the time. The O’Jays.The O’Jays gave me about half of their tour. For some reason
they liked me. I don’t know why, but they did and I got half of
their tour and it was all successful. All of the shows sold out in
every major arena that we played and from that point on I began to
book every major artist n the country from Michael Jackson on
down. So I give a lot of credit to The O’Jays for going out
on a limb and taking a chance with me. I am thankful today to them
for that.”
I
read about the struggles and problems Rowe has had in the industry.
He was the man behind a major class action lawsuit against the
concert industry. The lawsuit was dismissed, a major setback for
Rowe, but he continues the fight and is not giving up on pursuing
equality. I needed to know more about the injustice he fights
because so far, things seem as though every day hard knocks we all
must deal with when starting a new business. Leonard Rowe then gave
me a history lesson full of insight that made me feel privileged to
be privy to such a wealth of knowledge.
“Being a concert promoter is a very highly stressful job. They are
responsible for all costs. If people decide not to come to your
show, you are still responsible for the costs. Its very stressful
not only to play one show, but to launch a national tour like an R.
Kelly tour when you are hitting every major city in the US it
becomes very highly stress. Especially in these days; Black
promoters are becoming extinct. They are basically gone. That’s
due to the racism and discrimination in this industry, they have
basically eliminated us. So, it’s very hard for Black Promoter to
maintain. Yes, I have been blessed. I know I have to stay around
as long as I have. It’s the way the industry treats us. A black
promoter is not given the opportunity to promote a White act like an
Elton John or a U2 or The Rolling Stones. The
White promoters, and I know all of ‘em that came into the industry
with me, are able to promote any and all acts be it Black or White.
If I call the booking agency and ask them what’s available for me,
they’ll only go down the Black roster. If a White promoter calls
that same booking agency and asks what’s available, they’ll go down
both the Black and White roster. So it’s very hard for a Black
promoter to maintain in this industry, no matter whether he has the
wherewithal or the knowledge…that doesn’t matter. They will not
sell me a date on U2 and they make no exceptions for that.
So, it’s difficult. But, I have to keep going and fighting for what
is right, which I intend to do.”
The
obvious injustice is apparent in that equality is not practiced, but
it runs deeper. He shifts gears and talks about the turn around
benefits of supporting African American promoted concerts.
“R. Kelly
should be commended for what he has done. He stepped
forward to fight against that type of racism and gave his whole tour
to a Black promoter. And see, many people don’t know what all that
entails and what is the significance of that. So, let me tell you
the significance of that. A promoter, be it Black or White, sits at
the helm of the distribution of that concert dollar. That promoter
is the person that hires the catering service, the limo service, the
production service, the security company and the list goes on and on
for a tour of this magnitude. So, when a Black promoter sits at the
helm, all of a sudden, Black security companies profit. Black
production companies profit. Black catering companies profit. And,
the list goes on and on. So instead of that concert dollar
fertilizing Beverly Hills and commercial districts like Rodeo drive,
that dollar is brought back to our community. That is something
that the ticket buyer is not aware of when they go to that glass
window and stick their money through that hole and think they are
just goin’ to see Janet Jackson or think they are just goin
to see Prince. That wealth is a lot of money being taken away from
them by the White promoter who is putting that money back into the
White companies and White business districts of this country. But,
when a Black promoter is aware of that and an artist is aware of
that, they and try to take that wealth and redistribute it into our
own communities like the White promoters do. We are just trying to
do what’s right with the concert dollar and make sure that Black
America sees their money again that they stick through that glass
hole.”
When asked if the artist has much control over the promoter they
choose for their concert, he quickly responds “All of it! All of
it! I stick it on them. All of it!” He takes a moment, however,
ad gives the artist some grace… “But, I will say this; the booking
agency is paid a lot of money to give them advice, but when they
[the booking agency] do not even recognize Black promoters, the
artist has no knowledge of the Black promoter. It’s like this:
before the fair housing bill was passed they didn’t know that real
estate agents did what is called “steering.” If you call a real
estate company and say “I’m looking for a house for two hundred
thousand dollars, I want x amount of bedrooms and one and a half
baths.” If they only show you what’s up for sale in the Black
neighborhoods then you don’t even know what’s for sale in the White
neighborhoods and that’s how they kept segregation going. The same
thing exists in the concert industry.”
Many have discussed the strength in numbers. Why is their not a
union of form of unity amongst the Black promoters in America?
Wouldn’t that increase the power and booking ability of the Black
promoter? “Black concert promoters are a limited breed. Those that
work on a national level are down to about five. Not the local ones
doing club concerts, but on a national level. It’s an industry that
is difficult to break into, no matter how much money you have. I
have you guys come up to me all of the time and ask me how to get
started. Every time they ask me that question, I cringe because it
is so hard for them to get started. It’s a hard question for me to
answer. It really is.”
Rowe takes a moment to reflect on those he has worked with and who
he really enjoyed. “Who have I enjoyed? Because of my relationship
with him; Michael Jackson. He was not difficult at all to
work with. I also enjoyed working with The Temptations. God
gave them a gift and they just had what it takes. There are so many
that I enjoyed working with…Patti Labelle, Stevie Wonder and
I am now enjoying working with R. Kelly. But relationship
wise, I am very close to the Jackson family and I really enjoyed
working with Michael. And, I’m looking to work with him again. I
have been talking to him and trying to get him ready to go.
Hopefully I will be able to get him ready for next year. I talked
to him earlier this year and he said he wanted to do it next year.
So, hopefully, we’ll tour the world real soon.” Although he has
proven he has staying power, there are still artists he would love
to work with. “I have worked with just about all of the African
American acts, but I would love to be able to work with a U2
or ‘The Rolling Stones’, but the industry would have a fit.
Maybe one day that’ll happen.”
One
day…maybe…if the concertgoer and artists begin to support and demand
tours promoted by Black promoters. And, just why should they
support the Black promoters? Rowe says it best when discussing the
current R. Kelly tour that features J. Holiday and Keyshia Cole. “This tour is a tour that is produced, organized
and controlled by African Americans and we ask that they come out to
support us ‘cause we are trying to support them as well.”
"DOUBLE UP" TOUR STARRING R. KELLY,
WITH KEYSHIA COLE & J. HOLIDAY
Posted 12/3/2007 Leonard Rowe Photo credit: Renee Hannans Henry,
Access Atlanta
Special thanks to Juanita Stephens of J. S. Media Relations for
arranging this interview.
FATHERLESS BOYS: A Single-Mom Watches Her Teenage Son Struggle with
Impending Manhood
By Vanessa Werts
Across America, in the inner-city and in suburbia, fathers are
silently disappearing from their sons’ lives. Over the last decade,
fatherlessness has emerged as one of the most consequential trends
facing society. What was long thought to be primarily an
African-American problem, stemming from poverty and poor education,
has become an issue that crosses both racial and class lines.
Fatherless boys are crying out for affirmation, attention, and the
unconditional love of their absent fathers. Too often they flounder
about life with no real sense of self and a wounded
heart. Unfortunately, for society and for many boys without fathers,
feelings of awkwardness, confusion, and hurt play out in staggering
statistics of violence, crime, and imprisonment.
According to the
National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI), a non
profit organization established to combat father absence and promote
responsible fatherhood, violent criminals are overwhelmingly males
who grew up without fathers, including 72 percent of adolescent
murderers and 70 percent of long-term prison inmates.¹
Nonetheless, not all boys without fathers display deviant behavior.
Some internalize the weight of their emotions and silently struggle
with who they are and what they will become. Much like my
16-year-old son, Marcus, who besides a few undesirable grades, gives
the impression of being well adjusted.
Although we have our parent-teen challenges, Marcus is mostly
reserved and predictable. I can always count on him to have a
fervent opinion, even when he’s wrong. Yet he’s timid and uncertain
in social settings. Teachers often compliment his respectful
demeanor saying how pleasant it is to have him in their class. One
time a friend of mine referred to him as the “gentle giant,”
comparing his kind spirit to his tall stature. Considering
everything I know about my son, nothing could have prepared me for
his reaction to a disagreement between us or his eventual
melt-down.
That Saturday morning started out as many of
our weekends do. I went out for an early morning walk and returned
to the sound of video games and cartoons blasting from the
televisions. As I walked across the living room floor, I noticed
there were potato chips lying in the carpet next to the sofa. When
I questioned Marcus and his younger brother, Deon, neither of them
admitted to being responsible. So I gave them an ultimatum to tell
the truth or deal with the consequences. This sparked a bit of
defiance in Marcus. From there, a difference of opinion escalated
to his breaking point.
Frustrated with me, Marcus slammed his hand against the bathroom
wall. The sound and the eruption of emotions that followed
confirmed that his reaction was about something much deeper than our
confrontation. Finding release, Marcus sobbed well over an hour.
Pain and sadness were etched in his face as warm tears trickled over
his cheeks. Each time I asked what was wrong, he cried louder –
harder. “I’m tired of everything and everybody,” he finally
exclaimed between gasps. “It’s all my dad’s fault. I just don’t
think he appreciates me.”
Memories of my own fatherless childhood washed over me as I consoled
and wept for my son that day and for the millions of fatherless boys
who want more than anything to have a father who cares.
After my ex-husband and I divorced twelve
years ago, his relationship with Marcus settled into a pattern of
random calls and sporadic visits. Though rough at first, Marcus
eventually adjusted to the new arrangement, expecting me to be there
to tuck him in bed at night, and for dad to call and make
arrangements to pick him up for a trip to ToysRUs.
Back then, their relationship was amicable.
Now, with puberty and an awakened consciousness as factors, careless
fathering has become a futile distraction in Marcus’s mind. Broken
promises and inconsistent communication caused a wedge in his
relationship with his father. “At 12-years-old, I was on the fence
about him,” says Marcus. “I began to loose faith in him when I was
in 6th grade.” By the time he turned 14; Marcus claimed
not to care whether he saw or heard from his father at all.
Sadly, Marcus thinks he doesn’t need his father or guidance from any
man. His belief: “I will become a man based on my own experience
and instincts. And I’ll use what I’ve learned from my mom and other
adults – mainly family - who have given me advice or life lessons.”
When fatherless boys quit expecting and stop hoping, something
terrible happens to them, and to society. “The absence of a father
can shatter a child’s world,” President George Bush said at the
Forth National Summit on Fatherhood in 2001. “We know that children
who grow up with absent fathers can suffer lasting damage.”
President Bush went on to say, “Nearly every man who has a child
wants to be a good father, I truly believe that. It’s a natural
longing of the human heart to care for and cherish your child. But
this longing must find concrete expression.”²
Undeniable facts: there were 12.9 million one-parent families in
2006 – 10.4 million were single-mother families, according to the U.S. Census Bureau,
Families and Living Arrangements: 2006.
“Court and school officials report that many children do not even
know what to put in the ‘Father’s Name’ blank on printed forms,” David Blankenhorn, president of the
Institute for American
Values, wrote in his 1995 book Fatherless America.³
Supporters of responsible fatherhood initiatives are as varied as
the reasons for father-absence. From pro-fatherhood groups to
public officials to the federal government, they all weigh in on how
to address fatherlessness. Expectedly, opinions differ on the
reasons why fathers abandon their children and the methods used to
address the problem. Nevertheless, the resounding truth we all
agree on is: children need their dads.
Federal funding and grants are available for
programs designed to strengthen fatherhood. Like the NFI, the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services joined the
fatherhood movement last year and launched a national initiative,
the 2006 Promoting National
Fatherhood Initiative. The
program is currently on-going and enables
fathers to improve relationships and
reconnect with their children.
It’s widely believed that manhood must be learned, that it’s not a
birth right. I agree. Yet for Marcus, past experiences with men
have been synonymous with disappointment and rejection. Promises
are continually broken by his father, and calls are infrequent at
best. On the occasion his father does call, Marcus makes excuses
not to spend time with him. I used to make him go with his dad.
Not any more. Disturbing as it is to think, considering his
attitude towards his father, I often wonder if it’s too late to
reach him.
“It’s never too late!” says
Marvin Dickerson, President of
the Greater Washington DC Chapter of 100 Black Men, a non
profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for
African-American youth, particularly males. “I think it’s harder as
time goes on because their options diminish. Methods have to change
with the age range.”
Because Dickerson’s father passed away when he was only
10-years-old, he knows all too well what its like to grow up without
a father. Remembering life after his father’s death, Dickerson
says, “I had a lot of positive people around me who thought I was
special and went out of their way to take care of me.” Even so, he
admits that his fondest memory is of his dad coming to see him play
in a youth All-Star Baseball game. Coming off the field after
making a major play, Dickerson recalls looking into the stands at
his father. He says the proud that’s-my-boy smirk on his father’s
face was priceless. “It was the best feeling.”
Recently, I registered Marcus for a group-based mentoring program
operated by 100 Black Men of Greater Washington DC, Inc. The
program inspires youth to identify personal dreams or goals and
build action plans toward achieving them. “The realization of
seeing them when they start to dream,” says Dickerson, “when they
start thinking about the future, I know it’s worth it.” There is no
substitute for dad. However, mentoring programs give fatherless
boys and their families a ray of hope.
Through mentorship, I hope Marcus will begin to value his life
regardless of feeling unappreciated by his father. And that he will
discover his personal greatness. But mostly, I hope being mentored
by committed caring men will help fill the void created by his
father’s absence.
Riding along in the car one afternoon Deon
said, “Mom, I’m a happy soul.” He flashed his signature smile.
Imagine that. Astonished, I turned to look at him and asked what he
meant. Pondering his answer, he finally said he was just happy. At
8-years-old the soul knows when it is nurtured and loved
completely. Marcus once felt that way. Before maturity and the
realities of life began to whisper that life is about choices and
sometimes you’re not the chosen one.
What will become of America’s fatherless boys? What price will
society ultimately pay if this trend continues? The clock is
ticking.
²President George W. Bush,
President Bush Speaks at the Forth
National Summit on Fatherhood at the Hyatt Regency Capital Hill,
Washington, D.C., June 7, 2001.
³David Blankenhorn,
“Fatherless America: Confronting our Most
Current Social Problem" (New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1995), p.
10.
Vanessa Werts
is a freelance writer currently working on her
first novel. She is an optimistic contemporary, compelled to write
articles that voice true expression of those directly
impacted by negative social trends in the Black community. Vanessa
lives in the Washington D.C. area.
So what do you think? If
you would like to respond to this article
click here
and sign our
Guestbook
to leave a public or private statement, comment or
reaction.
Mighty Sam McClain and Bon Jovi Finalist In
International Songwriting Competition
"Congratulations, your song "I Wish You Well"
is a Finalist. Only 287 songs out of over 15,500 songs have reached
this status." (This song is on the new "Too Much
Jesus" (Not Enough Whiskey) CD, which, as yet, is unreleased, but
available at
www.mightysam.com).
"Congratulations again, your song "Show
Me The Way" is a Finalist." (this song performed as a duet with Jon Bon
Jovi on the "Give US Your Poor" CD)
"I Wish You Well" -- Blues Category
"Show Me The Way" -- Blues Category
Also, just a quick reminder...there is
only a limited time to get your friends and fans out to vote for your
song on People's Voice (deadline is March 31). This competition is
separate, and in addition to, to the regular ISC competition which is
judged by our amazing panel of judges.
Vote in the People's Voice! You be the
judge.....but vote for Mighty Sam McClain and his two songs!!!!
representing the "arena rock" camp,
pairing up with the formerly indigent Mighty Sam McClain on
the rousing, gospel-inflected "Show Me the Way" (not
the
Peter Frampton song).
Jon Bon Jovi
the Rock Icon continues his commitment to homelessness all around
the world by recording for the CD and video for Give Us Your Poor.
Jon Bon Jovi, who has since been named Habitat For Humanity's
first-ever Ambassador. In December 2006, Jon recorded a song by
Mighty Sam McClain with
Mighty Sam's band backing. Mighty Sam wrote the lyrics and co-wrote
the music with band member Donn Scott Shetler.
Check out our
exclusive interview with Mighty Sam McClain.
Black Men In
America.com routinely receives a lot of books and CD’s. A couple of
years ago while going through the mail I ran across a CD by an artist
named Mighty Sam McClain. I decided to listen to the CD. Mighty Sam
McClain is a bluesman. Mighty Sam’s voice was strong and his band was
kicking it. In fact, his band reminded me of the legendary Memphis STAX
band from the 60’s. After listening to the entire CD, I decided to find
Mighty Sam McClain and make him the first blues artist interviewed on
Black Men In America.com.
Also, Sam has had a tribute
song written for him by Mark Stepakoff, an outstanding Boston
singer-songwriter, which he recorded on one of his CD's. According to
Mighty Same, Mark really tells Sam’s my life story in song.
On June 24, 2006 at the Music
Hall in Portsmouth, NH, Sam hosted the Mighty Sam Music Festival, another dream come true for
the singer.
A few years ago
Mighty Sam
returned from a seven week tour of both Russia & Turkey,
headlining the Efes Pilsen International Blues Festival, where
he brought his unique, soulful sound to thousands in the sold
out performances. Backed by a strong horn section, including
Massachusetts local, Scott Shetler on sax, Mighty Same delivered
the funk, the soulful blues, the country flavor and the
emotional intensity which characterize his style...and he was
welcomed with love. The audiences were wildly enthusiastic! Also
included in the lineup were "Little Charlie and the Nightcats",
Fruteland Jackson and "Philadelphia"
Jerry Ricks.
After a few
moments talking with Mighty Sam it became very clear that Mighty
Sam McClain is a God fearing man who is
virtually unknown in the black music community.
While studying for
this interview I didn’t meet one black person who had heard of Sam
McClain. I found Mighty Sam to be a gracious and humble man. I also
found Mighty Sam to be a masterful storyteller. There were times when I
was mesmerized listening to this man talk about his experiences. His
life has been a rollercoaster ride. Raised as one of 13 children,
McClain first began singing gospel music in his mother’s church on the
northern edge of the “Bible Belt” in Monroe, Louisiana in the early
1940’s. He left home at the age of 13 before starting work as a cotton
picker to escape an abusive stepfather. He later found employment with
local R & B guitarist, "Little
Melvin" Underwood and followed him through the “Chitlin Circuit,”
first as his valet and then as a lead vocalist.
McClain
subsequently built his reputation as a vocalist recording for Malaco and
Atlantic Records. He also appeared three times at the
Apollo Theatre.
Afterwards, however, his career went into freefall, and through much of
the 70s and 80s he subsisted on the streets of Penascola, Florida. It
was only in 1983 that he made a comeback, when producer Carlo Ditta
invited him to return to the studio and record
Pray. With interest in his
lost career reborn, the Japanese label Dead Ball followed that release
with a live recording of one of his shows in Tokyo. McClain also made a
series of guest appearances on an album recorded by
Hubert Sumlin for
Black Top Records
in 1987, before spending the next five years working on a failed real
estate venture with his third wife in Houston.
Sam McClain had
dropped off the face of the earth it seemed until he re-emerged on
AudioQuest Records in 1993 with a stunning new album, Give It Up to Love with
McClain originals alongside two cover versions of
Al Green and
Carlene Carter. This new recording
attracted rave reviews in the soul and R&B music press, and was followed
up two years later by Keep On Moving,
as McClain at last began to enjoy the fruits of his labors and talent.
Over the next three years, as the momentum continued to build, McClain
released four albums, including Soul
Survivor, which included the track
New Man In Town, featured on
the FOX TV show "Ally McBeal.”
The song was used in 11 episodes of the popular television show and put
some nice “change” in McClain’s pocket.
Grammy nominated
Mighty Sam McClain has also been nominated for numerous W.C. Handy
awards in
the Soul/Blues vocalist category. Real
Blues magazine awarded McClain as the
Soul/Blues
Entertainer of the Year for three years in a row. Rolling Stone magazine has
called him "The Great Torchbearer of Soul" and
Pulse magazine has referred to
him as "America's best purveyor of red-clay soul/blues."
Black Men In
America.com has dubbed Mighty Sam McClain as a living legend of soul
music, gospel and blues. That’s right, soul music. Sam McClain is so
diverse that he reminds me of Little Milton, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Z.Z. Hill and
Bobby BlueBland. If you want to hear good soul music
with a gospel and blues edge
click here
and order Mighty
Sam’s music.
For those of you
who are not familiar with Sam McClain I hope this
interview introduces his music to a new audience
of fans who will support him by purchasing his music and attending his
shows.
The Mighty Sam McClain
Interview
Mighty Sam
McClain:
Gary, Sam McClain here man. Listen, thank you my brother, so much for
your heart-felt attitude towards Sam McClain and this music. I am so
grateful my friend. Eternally grateful. Always.
BMIA.com:
Mighty Sam, it is a pleasure to finally connect with you. My late
mother-in-law introduced me to the blues 20 years ago. So when I had
the opportunity to interview a real blues man, you know I had to jump on
it. I just want to ask you some questions.
Sam McClain:
I’m going to try and answer your questions. I might get to talking too
fast (laughing). You know, I tend to run on, like I’m doing right now.
You know what I mean? (Laughing) But, listen man, I thank you so much my
brother. This is great; I just heard some good news about my wife
yesterday. We took her in for an operation and the doctor went in just
before he got ready to operate on her. He had put her to sleep, but just
before they got ready to do the surgery they went in to look again and
it wasn’t there. Good Lord had removed it man. God is so good. God is
so good. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m here. (Laughter) I know
you always ask people like me, what advice would you give someone who
wants to make it in the music business. That’s the first thing I’d tell
them – put God first. Put God first. Put everything in its right
perspective and you got success right there. But, anyway, I’m going on
and on here. So, my wife is back home and we took her in yesterday at
about 4:30 and we brought her back home around noon. It was a blessing.
It was an absolute blessing. God is so good. Whatever that doctor saw;
it’s gone. Good Lord moved it.
BMIA.com:
I’m very glad to hear the good news about your wife.
Sam McClain:
All right, now back to the business of the Mighty Sam McClain
interview.
BMIA.com:
OK. How long have you been in the music business?”
Sam McClain:
Well I’ve been in the music business for a long time, man, I started
singing when I was five years old, as you know a little bit about my
background. I started making money – the first time I made money was in
elementary school. I was in the 7th grade – my Physical Ed
teacher put together a little local band there for us and we made a
little money, then. And so I guess I considered myself in the music
business at that time, you know. (There’s a little noise going off in
the background. Forgive that. It’s just my other phone going on.) But,
that’s when I first made any money – so I guess that’s what being in the
music business is about to a lot of people – being able to make a living
at it as well as being in your craft and something that you truly love.
So, I guess I’ve really been doing it now on – from that point I started
working with Little Melvin – a little while later on -- Little Melvin
Underwood. I worked with him as his valet, and I worked from valet up to
background singer and then I worked from background up to lead singer.
And, so, you know, putting the years together, I’m that kind of figuring
as I’m talking here. I guess I been in the business for fifty years.
Yes, forty-five years. That‘s question number one. It took me a long
time – I hope I have enough tape.
BMIA.com:
“How did you get into the business?”
Sam McClain:
Well, I think I just answered that, pretty much. Really getting on the
road, I was on the road with Little Melvin, and, as his valet – toting
his guitar and his amplifier and stuff like that and just kept on doing
whatever little chores that need to be done. I was the gofer man. You
know. And from that I started getting more and more into the business.
You know, as time went on I started learning about the business. You
know, as time went on I started taking over my own career and in the
late years, like now, my label, etc. As time went on I started learning
more about the business and the music and whole trip.
BMIA.com:
Did you think you would last this long?
Sam McClain:
There was time when I definite thought, I was about to give up on myself
and give up on God and everything else. And I know a lot of people that
didn’t think I would last this long. Well, didn’t think I would last,
period -- (laughter) Much less this long. My stepfather used to tell me
– even before I left home – you know, I left home when I was thirteen
years old – and my stepfather used to tell me that I would never amount
to shit. This is even before I left home, you know. I was a child. I
mean this guy, he was what he was. I loved him, I really wanted him to
be my father, but that‘s the way it was. So, there was time when I
thought I wasn’t going to last and there was time when other people
didn’t think I was gonna last. (Laughter) But, praise be to God, here I
am. And we’re trucking on. God gave me this voice, that’s why I’m
still here. I’ve always had this to hang on to. When everybody leave –
when there was nobody else around the voice has always been here. The
music has always been here. So, that’s where we are with number three –
Did you think you would last this long. Alright.
BMIA.com:
“Who are some the artist that inspired you? And, who influenced you the
most?”
Sam McClain:
Early on, there was, all of the older cats, you know, from Little Willie
John, Ruth Brown, Clyde McFadden, Big Joe Turner, Ivan Joe Hunter – all
of those people back in those days – and B.B. King, cause we used to
listen to a lot of radio out of Nashville Tennessee. Enjoying Rich Byrd
and all those guys. That’s the kind of music we played, you know. But
my biggest influence became, Bobby Blue Bland.
BMIA.com:
What was it about Bobby Blue Bland
that made him you’re biggest influence?
Sam McClain:
When I first heard Bobby Blue Bland – it’s like, man, it’s like heaven
opened up. “There it is, there it is – right there.” That’s what I want
to be. And right now Bobby and I are considered to be – I consider us
friends – we can run across each other quite a bit. And, I lived to see
that dream come true – I used to say, “One of these days I’m going to
have me a tour bus. I’m gonna drive right up side Bobby’s bus and get
off my bus and get on his bus.” Well God has let me live long enough to
see that happen. Man, I tell you. You know, this little cotton picker
from Montgomery Louisiana. The very first time I saw Bobby, I couldn’t
even get in the event because I was too young and didn’t have the money
either. You know, and God has let me live long enough to where I
followed this man all my life and now he calls me up on stage just like
– every time he see me he won’t wait till I get up on the stage with
him. You know – that’s a dream, I mean that’s a dream. So, I would have
to say Bobby’s been one of my biggest influences – still is. Today, I
love that man so much, he is a sweet and kind man -- very kind to me,
very very gracious. I feel very blessed to have got chance to meet him
and be in his company and consider him my friend. So, he’s one of my
biggest influences. Now moving down the line, I love
Al Green. I think
Al Green
is one of the soulful cats out there.
BMIA.com:
Do you get a chance to hang out with Bobby?
Sam McClain:
As a matter of fact I’m going to see Bobby this Thursday. They’re
playing at a club in Boston called “Scullers.” And, Joe Harden just
called me a little while back. Joe Harden
is Bobby Blue Bland’s trumpet player – who married my first cousin,
Gladys. And the first song on “One More Bridge To Cross” was the one you
said you liked – Joe wrote that first song – he wrote it to my cousin –
“Why Do We Have To Say Goodbye?” Oh Gladys wanted a divorce and Joe
didn’t want any divorce. You know what I mean? So, that’s where that
song came from. It was given to Bobby. But, Bobby and them, they
couldn’t hear it. So Joe passed it on to me and I could hear it. So I went on did it for him. But, yea man, I see
Bobby and Joe all the time – I mean, cause like Joe is my first – he
married my first cousin, so he’s family and he’s been with Bobby Bland
for thirty years or more and he’s the bandleader/trumpet player. So, you
know, yes, I’m very close to the family. I feel very blessed to have
lived to see this.
BMIA.com:
I really like you’re latest CD –“ Sweet Dreams” – it really tells a
story. It has a classic down home blues feeling. The horn
section is tight and the guitar is strong. And, of course your voice
is classic. How has the CD been received?”
Sam McClain:
Well the CD has been received very well. Where it has reached, it’s just so
hard to get this music anywhere – into the right hands, man, its tough, and
even to my black people – that’s another reason I am honored, so honored
that you are calling and asking me to be a part of what you and your people
have going. Because it seems like God just snatched me up and put me on this
side of the track, ‘cause this one the only place I could survive because my
black people just wasn’t accepting nothing I had to say and if this side of
the track didn’t exist I don’t know what in the hell I’d be right now.
The CD has been received very well
from people of which they have heard it. Or had a chance to hear it. But
that’s the hard part – getting it played, you know, and having the
promotion. I did it all myself – my wife and I – and we spent quite a
bit of money.
BMIA.com:
Has it been difficult to generate publicity and promote your music?
Sam McClain:
Man, we bought a full-page ad in magazines, Living Blues
and Blues Review, and every time you buy a full-page ad in
Blues Review, I mean that’s $1700, you know. So we bought
a half a year in that magazine. That’s just one magazine. Same thing
with Living Blues – full-page ad, you know. So, we did
the best we could on promoting. But that still was nothing – that was
nothing.
Click On Photo To Enlarge
BMIA.com:
What do you mean that was nothing?
Sam McClain:
Just what I said, that was nothing. The CDs don’t get, don’t get no
airplay, we don’t have radio stations playing – not no big radio
stations, I mean – you know – it’s just, it’s tough. But under the
circumstances, it was very well received. You know and certainly one of
my most proudest projects. Because it’s the first time I had to take on
the whole ball of wax myself.
BMIA.com:
What do you mean by that?
Sam McClain:
I wrote the music, produced the music, and etc., etc. I mixed the
music, edited the music and that was a first for me. And I was the first
one at the studio and the last one to leave. And before that, it was
just the opposite. I’d usually be the last one to the studio and the
first one to leave. (Laughing) You know – the responsibility got
bigger, you know. When you say, “I’m going to do it myself.” Well, okay,
well you got to be responsible as well. So, it’s been received very
well.
BMIA.com:
“Where do you find your inspiration to write songs?”
Sam McClain:
From life – just life in general man. Life in general. And since I’ve
gotten to know God, or since I’m getting to know God, from that place as
well, from a very deep spiritual well. Everything comes from there.
Everything springs from there – my spiritual life. And, the life that I
see as I live here on this earth with my brothers and sisters here. And
the work that I have to do now – that’s why I have this voice. God gave
me this voice – no formal training, no education, no anything like that,
you know. Just open my mouth and this voice came out and it still comes
out. And God has taken care of it through all the years when I drank
and smoked and did all that stuff. I mean, God has taken care of me.
You know, I mean I slept outdoors, went hungry, I mean, you know the
story. And my voice is still here – stronger and better than ever. You
know. It’s amazing what God can do, you know. So that’s what my
inspiration comes from.
BMIA.com:
You really do come across as some who believes that he is truly
blessed.
Sam McClain:
Man – (laughing) – every time I look around I realize what a miracle I
am, you know – I know I am a walking miracle. And then my wife just had
another one [miracle] just Monday, as I told you about. And it’s
amazing – everybody in my band is very well educated pretty much. Some
of them got degrees hanging on their walls and stuff. That’s amazing.
And, they all white, (laughing) and this little black boy from
Louisiana, from the cotton field, writes the check. That’s what the
good Lord can do man. It just never ceased to amaze me. (Laughing) It
just makes me smile. It’s good. It’s good, man. But that’s where the
inspiration comes from – life and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
BMIA.com:
Mighty Sam, how many albums and CDs have you recorded during your
career?
Sam McClain:
Oh, it is quite a number. Quite a number. Off the top of my head I
would say, (pause) twelve, maybe, ten or twelve, twelve. But there’s
been more than that released – there were some bootlegs out and there
were some singles – there was about twenty-two singles that got released
– well eleven singles/twenty-two sides. It’s somewhere in that number.
BMIA.com:
Tell us about the people who come to see you. My sense is that you
seem to be more popular among white audiences and virtually unknown
among black folks. Is that true?
Sam McClain:
That is so true. That is so true. You see it very well. And why? Like I
just told you. I didn’t have no choice. I was forced to leave home. It
was like all my life I been having to run just for survival. But, in the
same sense, that’s what God wanted me to do. Cause God was bringing me
in through the back door. I don’t know why, man. And it is painful too.
I mean, cause I don’t even get a chance to go back home much. And I
think about home. I love that country, Louisiana. I just love the smell
of it. I can smell it as I talk it about right now to you. But, I can’t
find what I need and look for there on the physical side or the
spiritual side. So, I was forced to leave. And, but it’s been a blessing
as well. But, yes, most of my audience is white and I go out right now.
We’re starting to go all over the world. I just got back from
Europe the 15th of this month. We’ve been over there three
weeks. And I go to Europe often. I been going to Europe now for the
past eight years, quite often, some times three or four times a year.
And we spreading – going further and further out as we go. I am
scheduled to go to Russia and Turkey this year, October 26th,
we leave here to go do a tour in Russia and Turkey. We’ll be over there
from October 26th through December 16th. So,
that’s what, a good seven weeks over there. It’s a great thing. I’m
very thankful that God let me live it see this. And, why am I going on
this tour? Because of this voice. God gave me this voice. This voice
is taking me to Russia. Its amazing. This little black boy from Monroe,
Louisiana out of the cotton fields. (Laughing) You know. But anyway.
That’s virtually, that’s pretty much my audience – pretty much white.
But we’re starting to reach a few black people.
We're starting to
come around. You know there’s this program –
Soul Patrol
– you probably know about Bob Davis – he’s on Internet Soul Patrol – if
not, check him out. He’s got a great connection into the black scene.
And we been connected with Bob for some years and he tries to bring us
together as much as he possibly can. Tries to get us to support one
another etc., etc. Bob’s got a thing coming up the last of this month –
the 30th and the 31st and in Pittsburgh or right
outside of Philadelphia somewhere right there in the area. So you go to
his sight and check it out. Soul Patrol – Bob Davis – lot of information
there man. He’s grown, he gets about 2 or 3 million hits a month. And I
guess he’s been established now for about 4 or 5 years. He did well,
he’s coming on strong. Anyway, he’s part of the connection that kind of
keeps a little bit tied to the blacks. But we’re starving for black
people over here man. But, we got a few. And the few we have we’re
thankful. And they’re great. (Laughter) But anyway – that’s what I
think about the case. I just don’t know exactly why the black people
don’t come. Sometimes black people don’t get out there – they don’t want
to be social – they don’t want to go on the other side of the track –
and sometime its because of all kinds of reasons – they don’t want to
financially – one thing or another. I don’t have all the answers man. I
just like to see it get fixed. I got this song I just wrote called,
“Just Want To Be” and I don’t want to wrong, don’t want to be right – I
just don’t to be what ever it takes -- (Laughing) to make this shit
work, you know. I just want to be whatever you need, Darling. Ain’t no
more fighting, ain’t no more right or wrong, I just want to be whatever
it takes to make it work. You know. Any way.
BMIA.com:
When you think about some of the artists of today’s generation, who do
you listen to and like the most?”
Sam McClain:
Well, there’s a few artists I like, man. I like Johnny Lane, he’s a
fiery young artist, guitar singer. He’s got a great voice. His voice
sounds like he’s about ninety years old – deep soul. I like Bernard
Allison, Susan, Shameeka Copeland, Shameeka Copeland, she’s ah, she’s
deep. She’s got a strong voice. She sings a lot of blues, but I hear
here sing a lot of other stuff and all that voice she’s got. But, I
like her, she’s a great person. And I know her father too, you know.
But, I get to see her every now and then. But, that’s a few artists you
know (pause), I like Eric Bibbs. There’s a few, there’s a few.
BMIA.com:
How did I get the name Mighty Sam?
Sam McClain:
Wow, boy. That came from a mistake. I was leaving in Pensacola Florida,
I just went to Pensacola and I was with the group, The Dophine Sextets
and at that time I was going by the name of “Good Rocking Sam,”
(laughter). Can you believe it? Don’t tell nobody I told you this shit
– (laughter) – Good Rocking Sam. (Laughter) And one day the club owner
made a mistake and put up “Mighty Sam” and the band started teasing me
about that shit, man. They rode me, they rode me, Gary, they rode my
ass. (Laughter) Hey, Mighty, Mighty, Mighty. And it stuck, man, they
wouldn’t let it go, man. And most of my friends, right today, most of my
real friends, they call me “Mighty.” “Hey there Mighty, what’s up
Mighty?” (Laughing) So that’s how that came by. It was given to me.
It was just – it stuck. Yep. Alright.
BMIA.com:
Sam, the music and entertainment business is a tough business. A lot of
folks don’t last long or make it at all. I’m sure you’ve experienced
your fair share of rejection and hardship. How have you managed to
survive and strive?”
Mighty
Sam and the Band
Sam McClain:
Well, just what I told you a while back. It’s all about God man. God
will be the first thing you ever hear come out of my mouth. When you ask
me about any of these kinds of questions that’s far beyond my
explanation and the complexity of it. I have turn it to God. ‘Cause all
this stuff is bigger than me. And I realize that. I realize that
there’s a Creator. You know, somebody created this and I thank God that
I got sense enough to see that. And, that’s where everything comes from.
That’s why I’ve hung on because I believe in the Lord with all my heart
and I pray and I try to be a good person – the best I can be. I fall
short everyday – I get up everyday and want to kick my own but and I
thank God that he has a sense of forgiveness and sense of humor. And
because it would be tough. But that’s how I survive, man. It’s the Lord.
I trust in the Lord with all my heart and he takes care of me. He
always has – he gave me this voice and he’s leading me through here, in
spite of my self – because I’ve did some foolish, crazy things and God
has taken care. And that’s why I am still here, man. It’s the good
Lord.
BMIA.com:
You hung around a lot of folks that fell short to victims of drugs,
alcohol. How did you manage to survive?
Sam McClain:
Same thing. Same thing. Cause I got involved with drugs, and alcohol
myself. I mean, I drank like a fish. I started smoking cigarettes before
I left home. I used to light my mother’s cigarettes and I smoked
cigarettes up until about fifteen years ago. About thirteen years, I
guess. And I drank up until about nine, nine years ago. And, you know,
so how did I survive that man? It’s all by the grace of God. You know.
And, of course, I’m sure I helped because I wanted to. When I got ready
to stop drinking I told my wife, I said, “Honey, I’m not drinking this
crap anymore.” And she smiled. Because I kept a house full of booze all
the time. I’d go to the store and I’d get a basket or cart just like we
got a grocery cart. I’d buy a couple cases of beer, a couple gallons of
cognac, or whatever the stuff we was drinking. I moved up to cognac in
my late days. You know, I started making a couple of dollars (laughter)
– I went from wine to cognac. And it’s all with the same drunk.
(Laughing) Didn’t make any difference. (Laughing) I found out its all
the same old drunk. You know. (Laughing) Oh well. But anyway, God, man.
God is the one that help me through all that crap. That’s it.
BMIA.com:
Just like that?
Sam McClain:
Just like that.
BMIA.com:
Tell me something interesting about you that most people don’t know.
Sam McClain:
Probably how great a sense of humor I have about life. (Laughing) I’m
learning to laugh. I didn’t know how great a sense of humor I had myself
until I stopped drinking and started get the cob webs and shit cleaned
up and I started realizing how much fun – I have more fun – I laugh more
now than I ever laughed in my life.
BMIA.com:
I can see that. You’ve been laughing quite a bit during this
interview. So that’s it? People don’t know that you have a sense of
humor?
Sam McClain:
I don’t know what’s too interesting about me that most people don’t
know, man. I don’t know what that could be. Most people that know about
me, they got an idea that I believe and love the Lord with all my
heart. And that’s my top priority. And everything follows that for
me. But, I don’t know man. I got a great sense of humor. (Laughing) I
love to laugh. I love laughter. Let’s move on to the next question.
BMIA.com:
OK, how about this one. What’s the best part of being Mighty Sam
McClain?
Sam McClain:
(Whew) Knowing that I’m a child of the living God – the living Creator
of this universe. That’s the best part about anything. And all of the
joy and all of the hopes and all the aspirations and all of everything
follows that – in its right perspective. So, I guess the best part about
being anything – if I wasn’t Mighty Sam and know what I know now; I’d
give you the same answer. I could be Mighty Joe, Who Diddy, don’t make
no difference. People ask me about success – that’s when I became
successful. When God looked down and smiled upon me and manifested
himself to me. So that’s the best part of being Mighty Sam, man. Just
being aware of the living Holy Father. ‘Cause it makes me a better
person, makes me try to be a better person. I want to help make this
world a better place than when I found it. And I think I do that in
some way with my music and hopefully with way I live.
BMIA.com:
Why do you do what you do?
Sam McClain:
Because it’s my destiny. I love it, but it’s also my destiny. I tell
people all the time, its like a blessing and curse sometime. I have to
sing – if I don’t sing, I die spiritually. I die. So, this is my chosen
profession. God gave me this voice and he wants me to sing. He wants me
to use it ‘cause I draw people to God through my voice. And I know that
because they tell me. They come up to my concerts, they stand up in
lines, they wait for hours to tell me. They write from all over the
world. I just got a letter two days ago from a lady from Macedonia – we
just left this poor country over there. This lady wrote me the sweetest
little letter thanking me for coming to her country and that the country
needed me and this music and it helped lead her back to God. You know,
that’s what makes it all worthwhile, man. You know, but I had to get to
a place where God could show me that – he owned everything, he owned me,
he owned my voice so I should be singing and being a positive light for
people to see. You know. So that’s what God has done. He’s bringing me
back from the dust of hell so people can see what he can do with
something that most people had counted out and left for dead. You know,
and here we are walking round. (Laughing) Walking right on.
BMIA.com:
Wow! Destiny. Singing is your destiny as determined by God.
Sam McClain:
Alright Gary, its just my destiny man. – It’s what I’m supposed to do.
I’m a singer. Like the song says, “I’m a singer, I’m a man with a
song.” This is my way of letting people know that God is alive, cause I
don’t hesitate to tell people all over the world. Everywhere I go I
mention the Lord Jesus Christ. I don’t hesitate, that’s my duty. And
that’s why God gave me this voice and he knew I had the balls to do it
cause it tough. People don’t want to hear about that, but they meet and
greet me then that’s what they gonna hear cause I don’t know any other
way to talk. Because I live everyday and breathe – my faith in God. I
wouldn’t be having this conversation right now if I didn’t believe
that. It would be useless to me cause I see how fallible man is and how
useless and helpless he can be. I’ve got to have something bigger than
man to believe in, son. (Laughing) This ole boy do.
I didn’t finish
Yale (laughing) but I ain’t no damned fool. God is my shield; he’s my
rock, man. I love the Lord. And I’m glad he loves me. And God bless
you too man. I really appreciate you Gary. And I hope you enjoy this
thing man. I’m looking forward to a relationship. And I appreciate you
helping me out and trying to support this music, this ministry.
BMIA.com:
Sam, I’m very excited to help you promote your music, which leads me to
my next question. How can people reading this article support Mighty
Sam McClain?
Sam McClain:
Go to the web site (www.mightysam.com),
write me, call me, buy this music if you can. Come to the shows, tell
people about it. There’s so many ways. So many ways. And not only
support Mighty Sam McClain, but also support any good live music out
there because that’s the only way it’s going to survive. People have to
support it – not just with talk but by spending the money to buy the
music from the artist. Because it’s such a rip off – it’s hard for the
artist to get their money. So if you can buy it directly from the
artist – that’s always best. But any way you can it’s a help to the
artist. But I appreciate anything you do for Might Sam – I mean tell
somebody about it. Go to the web site, check it out, listen to the
music, go buy the music, write me, I’ll send you the music, everything
is right there on the web site, my e-mail, my phone number, everything
is right there. So, drop me a line – let me know what you think. I’ll
certainly get back to you – that’s a promise.
BMIA.com:
I’m getting ready to wrap up Mighty Sam, but I have to ask you the
following question. What advice would you give to someone who wants to
make it in the music business?
Sam McClain:
Well, first of all I go back to believing in God, believing in yourself,
be talented, and love it – love it man, you got to be sure this is what
you want to do because it’s tough. You got to love it with all your
heart. The Bible said, if you don’t love something enough to lay down
your life for it, you don’t (laughing) really love it, and see that’s
what I’ve had to do, literally, for music.
BMIA.com:
What do you mean by that?
Sam McClain:
I’ve had to sleep outdoors, eat out of garbage cans, I been married four
or five times. I mean I’ve sacrificed everything for this music. You
know. Because I love it. And it loves me back. (Laughing). So my
advice would be to definitely make sure you love this stuff because it’s
a tough tough business. And then, educate yourself. Educate yourself
as much as you possibly can about this business because you will need it
to know what’s going on about the business. Even when you have people
working for you, you need to know what they’ve done and not supposed to
be doing and should be doing about your business and your career. If you
don’t know what they should or should not be doing; you don’t know
whether they doing right or wrong. I learned late, but I am still
learning. But, I thank God that I’ve come far enough to learn to where
I’ve got as much control as God would allow me have now in my career, in
my own publishing, my own label, my own production company, my own
agency, my own band, my own tour bus (laughing).
BMIA.com:
Like I told you earlier, you’re a blessed man.
Sam McClain:
You know I’m very blessed. But I had to learn this over the years. And
that’s what I would advice anybody to do – to love this business with
all your heart; love the Lord with all your heart; love people with all
your heart; treat people like you wish to be treated; and be true to
yourself. Be true to yourself and to the music and love it and it will
love you back. It will take you someplace. I love you. God bless
you. And I sure thank you man for this opportunity to share this with
you and your fans, your listeners, your viewers. And you saying its an
honor, its an honor for me, Gary, it really is.
BMIA.com:
Thank you Sam. I’ll call you on the road in a couple of weeks.
Sam McClain:
You got the phone number here. If you want me to answer some more
questions or clear something up just give me shout and I’ll see if I can
straighten you out, son and get you on the right route. Thank you
again. God bless you and I look forward to talking to you again.
Thanks Gary.
BMIA.com:
Thank you Sam.
Folks show your support for Mighty Sam McClain by visiting his web site
and purchasing his CD's.
Click here to go there now.
Publisher's note:
This
interview was updated on March 9, 2008. The previous feature was
posted on September 8, 2007. The original interview
was posted in September 2005.
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Former NFL Player Rick “Doc” Walker Proves That Hard Work and
Preparation Leads To Winning
Rick
"Doc" Walker, a veteran of nine NFL seasons, distinguished himself on
the football field with his blocking and timely pass catching. "Doc" was
a starting tight end for Coach Joe Gibbs’ 1982 World Champion Washington
Redskins. He developed the concept of the Skins’ "Fun Bunch" and was an
original member of the famed offensive linemen known as the "HOGS."
Playing for coach Dick Vermeil's UCLA Bruins, Rick received Lineman of
the Year honors in 1977 and became a Rose Bowl champion. Also that year,
the Associated Press (AP) selected Rick as an All American.
As a
broadcaster, Rick currently delivers color commentary for the ACC
College Football Game of the Week aired on Lincoln Financial Sports. He
is host of "The Doc Walker Show" weekdays from 9am - 11am on
SportsTalk980 WTEM (Washington DC) and is the host of Doc Walker's
Proview on Comcast SportsNet.
Selling
Power
Magazine chose Rick "Doc" Walker as one of the region’s top motivational
speakers. For
speaking engagements, Rick specializes in corporate team building and
sales training.
Rick serves on the board of directors for
The Touchdown Club Charities
and The Spencer Foundation.
As an event chairman he has helped Providence Health
Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
and the YMCA. He
currently hosts the annual
Doc Walker Alzheimer's Golf Tournament,
now in it's 9th year.
Rick "Doc" Walker #88
Click On Photo To Enlarge
Doc knows
a lot about winning. In college he played for coach Dick Vermeil's UCLA
Bruins. He also received Lineman of the Year honors in 1977 and
became a Rose Bowl champion. Also that year, the Associated
Press (AP) selected Doc as a college All American.
Doc was
preparing for life after football while he was playing football. Like
many others before him, Doc leveraged being a Redskin and a world
champion to his benefit and transitioned in to broadcasting when his
playing days were over.
As a
broadcaster, Doc currently delivers color commentary for the NFL on
CBS-Westwood One Radio. He also serves as color analyst for the ACC
College Football Game of the Week aired on Jefferson Pilot Sports.
If you live in the Washington, DC area, you can hear Doc
on the radio, every weekday from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm on the John
Thompson Show
on ESPN 980. Doc is
also the host ofDoc Walker's Proview on
NEWSCHANNEL 8 in Washington, D.C. You can also listen to Doc
online at
http://www.sportstalk980.com/main.html.
The Rick “Doc” Walker
Interview
BMIA.com:
Hey Doc. Thanks for taking time out for this interview. You played 9
seasons in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals and on the 1982 World
Championship Washington Redskins. You were also a college All American
and a Rose Bowl Champion. You know what winning looks like. What
lessons have you learned from sports that you’ve been able to transfer
in your life?
Doc Walker:
The best lesson I’ve learned is you don’t always win, but you must always give a winning effort. Success starts at the top, all great teams
have strong leadership, owners that are smart enough to hire the best
people available and allow them to do their jobs. In Corporate American
ego remains the number one threat to building strong relationships
biased on trust and respect. You can’t have a great team without great
teammates.
BMIA.com:
Let’s talk about your background. What part of the country did you grow
up?
Doc Walker:
I was born in North Carolina but raised in Southern California. My
Father was a Marine.
BMIA.com:
When you were growing up, how important was it for you to get a good
education?
Doc Walker:
My mother made it very clear that education was the foundation to
success in America.
BMIA.com:
You’re involved in a lot of community service work. Were you taught as
a child to be a good citizen or is this something you learned later in
life in the work world?
Doc Walker:
Being a product of the 60’s I grew up with the understanding that being
a good citizen was mandatory. Lying, cheating, stealing, and robbing
were not tolerated. Despite the social injustices of our country I was
encouraged to learn the system and compete in it at the highest level.
BMIA.com:
You’ve always seemed to have an entrepreneurial spirit. When you
arrived in DC, you were an officer with a company called the Record Den.
You also became associated with solid DC area businesses. Was this part
of your preparation for life after football?
Doc Walker:
I was very lucky to have met professional athletes in college that
talked to me about life after playing. I tried to never live too close
to work in an effort to build relationships with people in the
community. I totally enjoyed my experience with my teammates.
There is
nothing like working and winning a championship, but it’s short lived
and often unrealistic to mainstream life in America. The best way to
make a smooth transition to the real world is to never allow yourself to
leave it!
BMIA.com:
Who influenced you the most?
Doc Walker:
The biggest influence in my life has been my mother. She introduced me
to law and order. She strongly encouraged me to be active in church, to
volunteer and to never limit my goals because of the color of my skin.
BMIA.com:
You do a lot of motivational speaking in corporations. There are many
folks who feel that they cannot climb the corporate ladder because of
racism. Based on your experiences, how does someone fight racism in the
workplace?
Doc Walker:
Like I was taught. Your race is not going to change so you better learn
how to expand your mind and find a way to be the best you can be. It may
never be a level playing field, but it’s a disgrace to our forefathers
to blame "the man” for your failures. Look at what our great
grandparents had to deal with and overcome! As Hall of Fame coach
John Thompson says, “You can’t schedule opportunity. The question
is will you be ready to take advantage of an opportunity if and when it
comes?”
BMIA.com:
How important is diversity in today’s workplace?
Doc Walker:
Diversity is very important in today’s workplace. America is a melting
pot of cultures. Smart companies look for people that give them the
best means to understand the marketplace and deliver products that
people want to buy. On the management side you can’t manage people you
don’t understand. Good managers make it their business to accept our
differences and blend our talents to make a great company.
BMIA.com:
What would you say has been your biggest success to date?
Doc Walker:
My biggest success
personally is my family. Watching my wife build her real-estate business,
helping our boys grow into young men, while maintaining good
relationships with my friends and co-workers. Winning a high school
league championship, a Rose Bowl championship and a Super Bowl
championship was wonderful. Being a part of a top rated radio show on
Sports Talk 980, and the development of
ProView tops it all.
BMIA.com:
Tell us about your cable show Doc Walker's ProView.
Doc
Walker:
Doc Walker’s ProView
is an interview show that showcases some of the sports world’s greatest
performers. We are entering our 4th year on the air, every
Tuesday night at 8pm and Saturday’s at 6am on News Channel 8. Visit
www.docwalker.comfor a preview of our shows,
contests and business networking opportunities.
BMIA.com:
When you speak to youth, what is your most popular message or theme?
Doc Walker:
Most of my business as a
speaker involves me with corporate America. When I have a youth audience I stress the
importance of making a good first impression, setting realistic goals
and building sound fundamentals. Young people have a great opportunity
to write their own script. If only they understood what the person who
wants to hire them is looking for.
BMIA.com:
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to make a career in
sports?
Doc Walker:
Anyone looking to make a career in sports must first love sports! As
Albert Einstein said, “Love is a better master than duty.” Sports
are not
as easy as it appears. You have to watch and listen to hours and hours
of games and read and talk to as many people in the business as possible. My advice is to start covering
high school sports, writing, filming,
coaching or joining the training staff is a good way to get involved in sports.
It's a long road, but as far as I’m concerned it beats work!
BMIA.com:
You are seasoned broadcaster, with shows on TV and radio. You’re also a
family man. How difficult is it for you to maintain a happy balance
between work and family?
Doc Walker:
Any successful person needs an understanding family. Most people want
the spoils of success but don’t understand the price you pay in being absent.
The more you travel the less time you spend with love ones. Everybody
has to chip in and help. The hours are long and you work on most
holidays. The benefits are worth it as long as you don’t lose you
perspective of what makes you happy.
BMIA.com:
What’s the best part of being Doc Walker?
Doc Walker:
The best part of being Doc Walker is having no barriers and doing what
others say can’t be done. Not being afraid to fail.
BMIA.com:
Fill in the blank. “If I didn’t play sports, I would ____________.”
Doc Walker:
If I didn’t play sports I would have been involved in the music
industry.
BMIA.com:
Thank you Doc.
Doc Walker:
You’re welcome.
Left
to Right: Photo #1:
Veteran broadcaster Smokin' Al
Koken,
Doc
and Hall of Fame Coach John
Thompson on location.
Photo #2:
Doc,
Clay Goldsborough and
Derek Walker
on the networking scene. Photo #3:
Doc delivering a keynote address.
Jackie Robinson - An American Hero
It's been six
decades since Jackie Robinson took the field as a member of the
Brooklyn Dodgers and broke baseball's color barrier. And all around
baseball, players, managers and coaches are honoring the Hall of
Famer by wearing his retired No. 42.
Click
here to learn more about this American hero who
epitomized courage and made life better for all of us.
Change Your Game
Plan: The Randy Kearse Interview
By Gary A.
Johnson
Randy
Kearse is a very strong willed, talented and
unique brother. Randy is the author of
“Slanguage”
and “Changin’ Your Game Plan.”
Randy was arrested when he was a teenager for attempted murder and sent
to Rikers Island. After
serving four month and six months on probation, Randy was release and
tried to stay out of trouble. His Uncle arranged for him to get a good
job in the garment district in New York.
About two years
later Randy got caught up in the whirlwind of the crack epidemic. Randy
was making fast money in the illegal drug trade. Randy was an above
average student. He did his street homework and used his smarts and
ascended to the higher ranks of known drug dealers from Brooklyn. With
his partners in crime they hustled their way from the mean streets of
Brooklyn to the too sweet and ripe state of North Carolina. At the
height of his hustle Randy was part of a team of 25 “associates” spread
across three cities.
In 1992 after a six-year run, Randy got
comfortable, made a mistake and became a wanted man.
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the New
York Police Department (NYPD) and the Raleigh, NC, police were looking to bring him and his cohorts to justice
for their “last dance.”
Randy Kearse went
to prison and served his time. He went to prison in his 20’s and came
out in his 40’s. He is a different man, with a compelling and inspiring
story. Last month, Randy stopped by the Black Men In America.com office
and spent most of the day with us. This is a story that every brother
should read.
The Randy Kearse
Interview
BMIA.com:
You
served time in a federal prison. How much time did you serve and what
did you do to get there?
Randy Kearse:
I was
sentenced to 15 years in Federal Prison. Being there’s no parole in the
Federal system I had to do 85% of that, which amounted to me doing 13
years 6 months and 2 days. I went to prison for a federal drug
conspiracy. From 1986 up until I basically got caught, I had been
trafficking narcotics from New York to North Carolina. In 1992 I was
indicted, arrested and convicted.
BMIA.com:
How old
were you when you went to prison?
Randy Kearse:
When I
went to prison I was 27 years old.
BMIA.com:
When
you were serving time in prison, what did you do to pass the time?
Randy Kearse:
I spent
a lot of time thinking, and planning for my future. I read a lot. I’d
read any and every newspaper I could get my hands on. I watched all the
informative TV I could. I exercised and stayed to myself mostly.
BMIA.com:
What
was a typical day like for you?
Randy Kearse:
A
typical day for me would be getting up about 5:00 am in the morning and
preparing for breakfast. By 6:00 a.m., I was out of my cell on my way to
eat breakfast. In the federal eating breakfast isn’t mandatory like it
is in some other prisons. The job I had didn’t call for me to get up
early but I did anyway. I was looking forward to when I would be
released. I knew when I got out prison I had to work so I got myself
into the habit of “early to bed, early to rise.” You can’t accomplish
too much lying in the bed half the day.
After breakfast
I’d watch the news for about an hour and then return to my cell and
straighten it up. It would be about 9am by now. I’d go downstairs and
exercise for about an hour and a half. After exercising I’d go back to
my cell take me a shower and prepare for the noon meal. During the down
time I had waiting to go to the noon meal, I’d be reading or writing
something. Sometimes I’d have a stack of newspapers that were a week
old. After the noon meal I headed to the “office” (ha-ha-ha). That’s
what people used to say about me when they’d see me making my way across
the prison compound to the library. Sometimes I’d go to the library at
9:00 am right after watching the news and skip exercising, but most
times I’d be in the library right after the noon meal up until the jail
had re-call.
BMIA.com:
Re-call? What’s recall?
Randy Kearse:
Re-call
is when the prison makes everyone return to their respective housing
units so they can conduct a count of every inmate in the prison.
Normally re-call is 3:30 pm. When we returned to the housing unit I’d
watch the news until we had to go to our cells for the actual count.
Once the count cleared I would go back downstairs to watch more news
until the evening meal was called. The evening meal was normally called
about 5:30 pm. Once I ate, I went to the job I had, which was ground
maintenance where I was supposed to walk around picking up cigarette
butts. Though this job was the lowest paying job in the prison, paying
$5.00 dollars a month, it was the perfect job for individuals like
myself who really didn’t want to work at all. We’d sign in at 6:00 pm
and then we were sent off to pick up cigarette butts, but of course
nobody ever did their job. Once you signed in you were basically on your
own to do what you wanted until the time you had to sign back in at 8:45
pm. After signing in I would go back to the library or “the office.”
I’d stay at the
library until it was time to sign out. I spent a lot of time in the
library for a few reason. One, because it was one of the few places you
could go and think. The library and the chapel were the only places in
the prison you could go and escape the madness that surrounded you. Most
people who came to the library usually had something on their mind.
There would be brothers trying to fight their cases, some writing books
and others reading and going to school. You very rarely had any drama
jumpin’ off in the library. I had some typing skills so I’d make a
little money typing for some guys.
Around 8:45 pm I
signed checked out of the library and had to return to the housing unit
for the evening head count. That count normally didn’t clear until after
10:20pm. By that time I’d stay in my cell and read or write for the
remainder of the night. Very rarely would I come out my cell after the
evening count cleared. This was basically my routine for a large part of
my incarceration. Let me add this, the reason I didn’t want to work is I
needed all my time to work on the plans I had for the future.
BMIA.com:
So you
your focus was on planning for life after prison?
Randy Kearse:
Yes. I
made it my business to stay connected to what was going on in society.
There were guys who watched BET all day. Other would workout and play
basketball. That was not the routine for me. The only thing that can
help you when you get out is to prepare for the future when you get out
of jail.
BMIA.com:
What made you different?
Randy Kearse:
I refused to let society write the last chapter of my life. I accepted
responsibility for what I did wrong. I was guilty as charged and
accepted that. Once I did that I was FREE to think about where I was
going. Time is your life and you have plenty of time in prison.
BMIA.com:
Tell us about some of the guys you met in prison.
Randy Kearse:
You have a lot of smart guys in prison. Do you hear me? In my case, if
I took the same energy that I used to beat the law into doing something
positive, the sky is the limit. If criminals use the same work ethic in
a positive way they can be successful in society.
BMIA.com:
How did you get caught?
Randy Kearse:
I got comfortable. I was doing the same thing for so long, that I just
slipped up.
BMIA.com:
We were talking about our young people and music before we started the
interview. Share with our readers how you think young people have been
sold an illusion.
Randy Kearse:
Young people need to be aware. Young people are in trouble. It is our
responsibility as older black men to show them the way. A lot of
rappers are putting out a lot of negative images and selling our young
people down the drain. Young people are in trouble. Rappers are
talking about what he does from the safety of his studio and gets paid a
million dollars. You go out and follow what he says and you get a
million years. Think about it. Young people have bought into what
rappers say the streets are about. I know what the streets are about.
The streets are about NOTHING!
BMIA.com:
Let’s
talk about your background. What kind of environment did you grow up
in?
Randy Kearse:
I grew
up in Brooklyn, N.Y., came from a good home. Both parents at home, both
worked. My mother was a schoolteacher, my Pops worked for transit. We
lived in the projects but the projects I grew up in wasn’t buck wild. At
that time most the guys I grew up with had their mother and father at
home. All the parents worked. There’s nothing in my background that
could possibly attribute to the negative path that I took. I was an
above average student all through school. I got bored with school and
dropped out. Instead of going right, I chose to go left.
I received my GED
without even studying for it. I went in, took the test and passed it
1-2-3. My parents instilled a lot of good values in me. They stressed
education, making an honest living, respecting women, and things like
that. They also did their best to show me that there was life outside of
the projects so I had a good upbringing. The neighborhood I grew up in
wasn’t what most people would consider to be poverty stricken, so you
can’t attribute being surrounded by poverty to my decision to get
involved in the drug trade.
People have this
image of the brothers who choose to run the streets as coming from
broken homes and growing up in poverty, when that’s not the case for a
lot of folks. Most brothers come from good homes even if they came from
single parent households.
BMIA.com:
What is
it about you that made you say, “I’m going to turn my life around?”
Randy Kearse:
For me,
it wasn’t saying “I going to change my life around.” It
was more like saying, “I have to change my life around.”When you don’t have nothing but time to think about your life, your
past, your present and your future somewhere during those reflections
you should be saying to yourself that you don’t wanna spend the rest of
your life living the life you’ve been living. When you’re young and
doing your dirt in the streets you tend not to think about getting old.
You’re out there running the streets caught up in your own hype, basking
in the glow of being a ghetto celebrity so you’re just living for the
moment. Once all that comes to end and you’re faced with the fact that
you won’t be getting out of prison until you’re 40, 45 or 50 years old,
reality sets in and you start thinking about what you’re going to do
with the rest of your life.
You know you can’t
get out and run the streets again, so in a way you’re forced to change.
If you can accept, embrace and grow with change you have a better chance
of making it when you get out of prison. If you reject and deny that you
have to change, more then likely you’ll keep living the kind of
lifestyle that leads to prison or worse, death. I seen so many elderly
men in prison and I knew I didn’t wanna spend the rest of my life
incarcerated. The life I was living had taken its toll on me. When it
all came to an end I was financially broke and emotionally drained. I
didn’t wanna live like that again.
BMIA.com:
What drives you to succeed and be the best?
Randy Kearse:
What
drives me to be my best is my desire to show society that I’m bigger
then the stereotype they have for brothers like myself. Let society tell
it, after spending 13 and half years in prison I can’t come home and be
successful. Statistics say that 78% of individuals released from prison
return within three years. I come home to tear holes in that statistic.
I’m on a mission to show all the people who stood by me and supported me
during my incarceration that their support and sacrifices weren’t in
vain. Even in my darkest moments I had people still believing in me, so
I owe them and payment for them is seeing me be the best I can possibly
be. What also drives me is my desire to be an example for all the
brother and sisters still locked up in the system. To show them that
someone who came from where they are, still managed to come home and
live a positive, productive and successful life. That’s very important
for me. I represent all the brothers and sisters who have to walk the
road that I’m walking now.
BMIA.com:
How
would you assess your role and level of responsibility for the things
that have happened in your life?
Randy Kearse:
I only
have myself to blame for the things that have happened in my life. I’m
not one of those dudes who blame everything and everybody for going to
prison. I did what I did. I was guilty. I broke the law. No matter how
unfair that law may have been, when I chose to break it I left myself
open to be treated anyway the system wanted to treat me. In life we all
have choices, if you choose to make bad choices you can’t cry foul when
those choices come back and bite you in the butt. You have to take
responsibility for making those bad choices and begin to make better
choices. No one promised me the system was gonna treat me fair if I
broke the law. Whatever role you play in a crime, once you consciously
break a law whatever happens to you is of your own doing. One of the
biggest problems people have when they’re incarcerated is not taking
responsibility for being there. In my book I speak about that.
BMIA.com:
Who
motivates and inspires you?
Randy Kearse:
I’m
deeply motivated by the memories of all the friends and love ones who’ve
passed away. I lost a lot of good people while I was away. The memory of
my brother Dee Kay who passed away in 2000 is a major source of
motivational fuel for me. He’d never accept that I didn’t rise to the
occasion when it was time to rise up. Brothers like Malcolm X, Don King,
and the actor Charles Dutton, brothers who spent time in prison and came
home with a changed game plan, inspire me. Lesser-known individuals like
Tony Reid, Kelvin ‘Toast’ Hopkins and Daniel ‘Danny’ Gonzalez who’ve
kept their vow to stay out of prison also inspire me.
BMIA.com:
Has
serving time in prison changed your outlook on life? If so, how?
Randy Kearse:
Doing
time has definitely changed my outlook on life. While I was running
around playing the so-called ‘game’, little did I realize that society
wasn’t playing games with me.It wasn’t until I was behind bars
did I truly realize the seriousness of my actions. Even if you take away
the prison aspect of the lifestyle, how many times did I actually put my
life on the line being in the drug trade? How many times do we hear
stories about people being murdered in a drug deal gone wrong or during
a robbery? Where is the ‘game’ in that? I have no idea. Doing time
taught me how to appreciate what life truly has to offer. Time has a way
of humbling you if you allow it to. I was able to put my priorities in
order. I no longer take life for granted. My mother used to always tell
me, “You get out of life what you put in to it.” Your prison experience
can be a stepping-stone or it can be a crutch. I chose the
stepping-stone. I believe that regardless of what you go through you can
overcome it if you want to. When you hit rock bottom you can stay there,
or you can pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep it moving.
BMIA.com:
How
long have you been out of prison?
Randy Kearse:
I’ve
been out 1 year 3 months in December and I’m loving it. (Ha-Ha-Ha).
BMIA.com:
Did you
find the transition difficult? If so, how so.
Randy Kearse:
The
first week or two I had to get my bearings but for the most part I fell
right into the swing of things extremely quick. Within the first week I
was surfing the Internet, had an e-mail address and preparing to self
publish my first book. By the end of the second week I was employed so I
didn’t waste any time putting the plans I had into effect. I stayed
abreast of everything that was going on in the world so I didn’t come
home still thinking it was 1992. Things like seeing everyone talking on
cell phones tripped me out. I pretty much left prison prepared for the
next part of life’s journey. I came home on a mission. I had a solid
family support system when I reached home so that also made the
transition painless. I knew when I left prison what I had to do, so as
soon as I got out I got right to it. I wouldn’t say that my transition
was hard at all. I didn’t come home with all the prison mannerism,
vernacular or pent up anger that a lot of people bring back to society
so you would have never known I did time unless I shared that with you.
BMIA.com:
What
was the first thing you did when you got out of prison?
Randy Kearse:
The
very first thing I did when I walked into freedom was thank God for
bringing me through my journey. I thanked him for giving me the strength
to make the necessary changes in my life to lead a positive life. I went
straight to see my mother and I gave her a long hug. After that we sat
and talked for a long time. My mother has been my number one supporter
and friend through my prison journey. Then she tried to make me eat one
of her turkey burgers (Ha-ha-ha).
BMIA.com:
Have
you learned anything about yourself as a result of serving time in
prison?
Randy Kearse:
Yeah I
learned I don’t have a criminal bone left in my body (Ha-ha-ha). When
the judge hit me in the head with those 15 years, he knocked the thug,
the gangster and the street mentality right out of my head for real. I
learned that I have the ability to bounce back from this experience if I
believed in myself. I also learned that my prison experience doesn’t
define me, but it helps make me the man I am today.
BMIA.com:
Do you
have any advice for women and family members who are waiting on their
man or their father to return home from prison?
Randy Kearse:
Encourage and challenge your love one to create a vision for his future.
Then encourage, challenge and support that vision as much as possible.
Repeatedly ask him what his plans are when he gets out. Don’t accept
anything but a detailed plan. Show your love one tough love too. No one
needs to be running around prison with three or four pairs of brand new
sneakers. There’s no need to send a love hundreds of your hard earned
money so they can live comfortable in prison. The kind of support you
give your love can handicap him, because you can make him so comfortable
he might feel he doesn’t have to change. He’ll think if goes to prison
again, he’ll be just as comfortable as he was the first time. And
lastly, be mindful of the reading material you send him, if all you send
him is urban street novels how can you expect him to break away from
that kind off mentality?
BMIA.com:
Let’s talk about your books. Tell us about
“Slanguage”
and “Changin’ Your Game Plan.”
Randy Kearse:
“Street Talk: Da Official Guide to Hip & Urban Slanguage,”
is not only a 700 plus page
dictionary/guide that interprets the whole hip-hop and urban slang
vernacular, it’s also a documentation of the unique language that we as
African-Americans use to communicate. I wanted to show the world that
our language was more extensive then the couple of catchy words or
phrases that make it into the mainstream.
Randy Kearse:
“Changin’ Your Game Plan! How to use incarceration as a stepping stone
for SUCCESS,”
is about the journey of change that one should
embark on while locked up in order to come home and lead a positive,
productive and successful life after prison. This is the blueprint for
turning a negative situation into a positive opportunity. I’ve seen too
many brothers return to prison because they refused to change their game
plan.
BMIA.com:
What do you want people to learn or get as a result of reading your
books?
Randy Kearse:
With Street
Talk I just want people from our
community to celebrate that we have a unique language. And I want
mainstream America to respect that uniqueness. They’ll get a hold of a
word from our culture and run it into the hole and before you know it’s
like they invented the word or term. Bling bling is a prime example.
With Changin’ Your Game Plan!
I want brothers and sisters to know that there’s
life after prison. Prepare for your future while you’re away so you can
have a future when you get out.
BMIA.com:
In your opinion what’s the biggest challenge facing black men in
America?
Randy Kearse:
There
are many challenges facing black men in America but if I had to pick the
biggest challenge it would be breaking away from this ‘street mentality’
that has so many of us stagnant and unable to reach our full potential
in life. That mentality that has us looking at the reckless lifestyle we
live as ‘the game.’ That mentality that will make us kill one another
over something as petty as a stare or bump. That mentality that says the
only way to succeed is to sell drugs, the only way to get respect is to
pick up a gun, and the only way to be a man is to bed as many women as
we can. That mentality that makes us see women as nothing more then
sexual objects and not to be respected. It’s erasing that mentality to
me that is black men’s biggest challenge in this country.
BMIA.com:
How can people reading this feature support you?
Randy Kearse:
They
can support me in two ways, of course by picking up both books, but more
importantly by doing what they can do to teardown these negative images
that society has of black people, in particularly black males. And one
of the ways of doing that is being a positive example for others to
follow. Get out in the community and talk to these young people, one on
one or in a group, they need help.
BMIA.com:
What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow their dream
and turn their life around?
Randy Kearse:
Don’t
be afraid to step away from the crowd. Being different is the true
measure of a leader. Believe in yourself, in your vision and in your
dreams even when no one else does. And remember, we all mistakes in life
but it is what we learn from those mistakes and how we apply those
lessons to our lives that help make us who we are.
BMIA.com:
Anything else that you want to share that I haven’t asked about?
Randy Kearse:
One
thing, if you have a friend or love one who’s incarcerated, all it takes
sometimes is an encouraging letter or card to set that person on the
journey of change. You might not wanna deal with someone because they’re
in prison but these are the same people who will be returning to our
communities one day, think about that. I can only wonder what life
would have been like for me if my family and few friends had given up on
me.
BMIA.com:
Thank you for taking the time to answer these
questions. If you have any questions for Randy you can hit him up at
randykearse@yahoo.com
or visit his web
site for his book
www.randykearse.com.
Also check out Randy's other site
My
Prison Journal.com.
Randy Kearse:
No,
thank you for allowing me the opportunity to get my message out there.
We need more people like you and media outlets like Black Men In
America.com to counter the negative images of our BLACK MEN IN AMERICA.
So what do you think? If you would
like to respond to this article
click here
and sign our
Guestbook
to leave a public or private
comment.
Black Business Is
Serious Business
I first
learned of Martin K. Hunt through his brother Ken, who suggested that I
might want to interview his brother for Black Men In America.com. Ken
explained that his brother and sister-in-law Jacqueline wrote a book
called “The History
of Black Business: The Coming of America's Largest
African-American-Owned Businesses.” The thought of a book on black
business was appealing, so I asked for a copy of the book.
Once I
read the book, I immediately knew that this was a gem, a Black Men In
America.com “must buy.” I contacted Martin set up the interview.
Folks, this
is one of the most comprehensive books on black business that I have
ever read. Martin and Jacqueline (two Harvard educated professionals)
have accomplished something that other authors failed to do, and that is
give an inspiring and historical
account of black business in America. The case-based approach of this
book uncovers the forces that have affected America's largest
Black-owned businesses before and after 1970. This book also paints a
picture of the business environments that promoted or discouraged the
most successful Black businesses over time. If you are in business or
want to get into business, this is a “must read.”
Gary
Johnson recently interviewed Martin Hunt. Here’s the result of that
interview.
The Martin K. Hunt
Interview
BMIA.com:
First things first. Martin thank you for taking the time to participate
in this interview. I am very impressed with your book. I’ve never read
anything like it.
Martin
Hunt: Thank you.
BMIA.com:
What made you want to write a book about the history of black business?
Martin
Hunt: The book was a labor of love.
During my second year at Harvard Business School, I was asked to write a
summary overview of minority business for Michael Porter, a strategy
professor, as part of a summer internship. What started out as a brief
summary, I realized would be valuable as a book on Black Business
because there was no one source that summarized this important
information.
As a student of
Black business and business in general throughout my life, I read Black
Enterprise magazine religiously, yet still it did not give me one
unified vision of the history of Black business.
That is where I felt
my book, The History of Business, would fill a void for the average
reader. I am not a PH.D. or academic. I am a business executive that
loves business. As such, I felt that I could write a book that was fun,
enjoyable, and enlightening, so that people would want to read it.
BMIA.com:
This is a “joint venture” with your wife Jacqueline E. Hunt. Did you
two have a strategy or game plan for writing the book?
Martin
Hunt: I provided business frameworks and
she provided the educational rigor of what would get through to the
reader. I thought that would be a perfect combination.
BMIA.com:
Which entrepreneurs in your book impressed you the most?
Martin
Hunt: John Johnson, Reginald Lewis
and Bob Johnson are my favorites; we met John Johnson in a drug
store in Chicago by accident. He was informed of our project and
promised to endorse our book. We were impressed that he had read the
work personally and by the fact that he had a review written in Ebony,
as promised. For a man worth a few hundred million dollars to meet you
in drug store and remember your book and then review it was amazing.
BMIA.com:
Let’s stick with these pioneers for a moment. What’s your impression of
these men?
Martin
Hunt: John Johnson is a hero for
Black Business because he told a story with pictures that made us
proud. At a time when there were few publishing outlets for
African-Americans, he stood large and is a wonderful example of the
American dream.
Reginald
Lewis is the most provocative entrepreneur of
the twentieth century for the history of black business. Reggie grew-up
in Baltimore, was a lawyer, worked on mergers and acquisitions and used
private equity as a tool for business like no other African-American
prior. He predicted that others would follow and they have.
Bob Johnson
is a great example of Reggie’s vision. He made his money with Black
Enterprise television (BET), but more importantly used private
equity to take BET public, then take it private and then sell it. He
gained three billion dollars personally.
With that money, he
is now leveraging his wealth to create more enterprises with his
ownership in the Charlotte Bob Cats and RLJ Holdings in real estate,
private equity, hedge funds and other ventures. Business is business.
We will see many African-Americans play these new roles throughout all
aspect of American business.
And so the goal of
the book is to open ourselves to those possibilities and make sure the
next generation can see these great examples so that they can elevate
their dreams to become major players in American business.
BMIA.com:
Can you talk about the research process?
Martin
Hunt: We researched the book on night and
on weekends. I was working at first for Michael Porter at Harvard
Business School in the beginnings of the Initiative for a Competitive
Inner-city (ICIC). I then worked for a large consulting firm and
then at a large utility doing merger and acquisitions.
We used the Harvard
Business School library, the Library of Congress and every library where
I had major projects when I was consulting. Jacque was a high school
biology teacher and then an Academic advisor at the University of
Chicago. She took some time off when I was traveling to put the
finishing touches on the book.
After the book was
completed, we then formed the Knowledge Express Company and published
the book. We used R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Chicago to print the book
and marketed the book through major distributors, Amazon.com and Barnes
and Noble.
BMIA.com:
I love the way the book is written. You give the reader a history tour
of black businesses going back over 100 years. What were some of the
key things that you learned about black businesses while researching and
writing this book?
Martin
Hunt: We learned that there have always
been African-American entrepreneurs since before America was America.
We also learned that there were always thousands of
African-American-owned business as far back as the number of
African-American was recorded in 1863.
During Slavery
and after we saw four types of businesses, which the book explains in
four categories: adventurers, inventors,
bankers and
insurance companies.
They were generally sole proprietor, mom and pop businesses. We also
saw founders of new United States expansions that were more liberal to
African-Americans like Jean Bapist DuSable, a fur trader and
original settler of Chicago.
After Slavery, we
had Apartheid in the United States and African-American businesses
focused on the African-American community for their customers. The
‘History of Black Business” explains this phenomena with the Black
Diamond which explains the forces that made Black business grow during
this time. Many companies started prior to 1970 like Motown, Johnson
Publishing, and banks and insurance companies like Carver Federal
Saving Bank and North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Some of them exist today.
After the 1960s, as
the forces of Apartheid were dampened with Civil Rights laws, Black
businesses began to get larger and more diversified with some linkages
to Fortune 500 companies and automakers. The largest Black businesses
rose from having over nearly $500 million is sales in 1973 to over $20
billion today.
African-American
businesses now are more fully diversified and that trend will grow.
Black business can be global. Financing is better and the use of the
stock market and other equity sources are available more now than
before.
We see a push into
private equity, large real estate deals, money management and venture
capital and technology. Black business will continue to look more like
the distribution of majority businesses in America.
‘The History of
Black Business’, explains this evolution and gives you framework to view
the future. It is important that more people of our kids become part
of this new business opportunity. We should think of business ownership
as deeply rooted into our culture, positive for our communities and
critical to providing resources for our future.
BMIA.com:
This is a great history lesson. When you look at black businesses at
the turn of the century and black businesses today, what are the major
differences?
Martin
Hunt: Black businesses in 1900 were
constrained by the denial of basic constitutional rights. Businesses in
2000 were gaining steam into new and different fields with new
techniques to get there. Black businesses today exhibit some of the
same characteristics, as earlier, but also have new possibilities.
Going public, going
private, venture capital, private equity, Fortune 500 experience, new
connections to Fortune 500 companies at the highest levels and the
concept of the serial entrepreneur all are now a reality.
The concept that
ownership through equity is important and that the public markets can be
accessed is more possible now than ever.
BMIA.com:
What do you want people to learn as a result of reading your book?
Martin
Hunt: That everything is possible – they
can be Oprah, Bob, John or Reggie and know what each of them did to open
new doors for all of us to benefit from. There is a paved road for
entrepreneurial success.
Too many times the
definition of African-American business is limited to what some thought
in the past. African-American businesses can be global, multi-lingual,
great employers and vehicles for tremendous growth. Reginald Lewis’
Beatrice International was a good example of this in the 80s and early
90s.
BMIA.com:
How important has education been in your life?
Martin
Hunt: Education has always been very
important.I am the son of two educators, Kenneth and Virginia
Hunt. Education was a valuable commodity in our house. Diversity of
thought and the ability to create are the most important things in
business. These can be gained through education.
BMIA.com:
Tell us about your background.
Martin
Hunt: I am the second of four kids. Ken,
Janine and Karen are my siblings. I was a middle child in a group of
extraordinary talented kids. I worked hard both in school and in
athletics and never gave up. We were raised in New Castle, Delaware and
my family is from Chester, Pennsylvania.
I went to Media
Friends School in Media, Pennsylvania until 6th grade and
then went to Delaware public schools. I graduated from William Penn
High School and then Swarthmore College. After working for a few years,
I went to Harvard Business School.
My wife is half
Chilean and Dutch and lived all over the world. She speaks five
languages fluently and considers Spanish as her native tongue. She came
to the United States for college and graduated from Southern Methodist
University. We met when she was completing her masters in Education at
Harvard.
BMIA.com:
Based on your research, who would be in YOUR black business Hall of
Fame?
Martin
Hunt: They
are listed in the book. There are so many great African-Americans it
would be hard to choose. Surely James
Forten, Madam C.J. Walker, John Johnson, Don Barden, Dave Bing, Bruce
Llewellyn, Reginald Lewis, H.J. Russell, Oprah
and Bob Johnson
would be among them.
BMIA.com:
What’s the state of black business today? Do we need more black
businesses in our community?
Martin
Hunt: The state of Black business today
is growing.
I believe that
African-American businesses are growing faster than what statistics can
tell you. There is a framework in ‘The History of Black Business”
called the Black Diamond which is an analogy to Michael Porter’s
Diamond framework. The Diamond framework explains how location, cities,
countries and regions become and stay competitive.
As the factors of my
Black Diamond framework grow closer to Professor Porter’s Diamond
framework for America, African-American-owned businesses will create
sustainable competitive advantages at the same level of any other
business.
That will take the
form of ownership stakes in Fortune 500 companies, controlling interests
in private equity funds and as stewards of the public markets and
pension funds.
Yes, we still need
more African-American businesses in our communities and in general.
Businesses employ people, provide wealth to owners and drive investment
into a community.
BMIA.com:
What role do you see entrepreneurship playing in the black community?
Martin
Hunt: Sustainable economic bases drive
resources into any community. The ability for America to sustain its
competitiveness is tied to how well African-Americans, as well as any
other American group, can access the promise of inventiveness and
opportunity that makes America so special.
BMIA.com:
Are black businesses held to a higher standard? Should they be?
Martin
Hunt: Black businesses, as all businesses
should build sustainable competitive advantages to win in the market
place. They should also be great corporate citizens. If they can do
that, then they will make our society stronger.
BMIA.com:
There is a widely held perception that black businesses fall short when
dealing with black people. As a result, black businesses complain that
black people don’t support them. I call it “the white man’s ice is
colder” syndrome. What’s your reaction to this?
Martin
Hunt: That thinking comes from an old
paradigm. This book presents a new paradigm that I think serves every
community well. Business should win in the market place and ensure they
serve the community well. We must do both.
BMIA.com:
How has the Internet changed life for black business?
Martin
Hunt: The Internet has the potential to
bring the world into your living room and make knowledge readily
available. I believe that the Internet holds great promise in the
development of great African-American-owned businesses.
BMIA.com:
Why is it important to have black owned businesses in our community?
Martin
Hunt: Ownership provides the ability to
create sustainable economic bases that can pay for schools, invest in
new technology and provide access to the thoughts and ideas of tomorrow.
BMIA.com:
In your opinion what’s the biggest challenge facing black men in
America?
Martin
Hunt: The ability to change the
perception of what is possible is our most important initiative. I
believe adversity will be what it may. Your reaction to it, especially
in America, can provide the key to overcoming that adversity and
prospering.
BMIA.com:
How can people reading this article support you?
Martin
Hunt: Buy the book and then talk about
it. For books like “The History of Black Business” to be
written, they must be purchased. For ‘The History of Black
Business” to improve the future for America, it must be read and
talked about. Enjoy the book and share.
BMIA.com:
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a business?
Martin
Hunt: You can start now.
(1)Decide what need or want your business will
fill.
(2)Assess how you will make money and
compete. Answer why your business will have a competitive advantage
that you can maintain.
(3)Make a written plan to articulate your idea
with investors, if you need investors. Then detail when your investors
will get their money back plus a profit return.
(4)Make a plan that starts today.
(5)Add to your plan everyday with milestones
and goals until you are ready to launch your business.
Good luck.
BMIA.com:
Thank you Martin. This has been a great
interview.
So what do you think? If you would
like to respond to this article
click here
and sign our
Guestbook
to leave a public or private
comment.
Hill Harper
A Phenomenal
Man in His Own Right
By Jessica
Tilles
“For the first
time ever, I witnessed Jessica Tilles at a loss for words,” noted
Gary Johnson, publisher of Black Men In America.com. “I can’t believe
it. This is truly a first!”
Yes, it was
definitely a first. I was at a loss for words. My favorite, actor said,
“Hello, Jessica. How are you?” and I couldn’t respond. Hill Harper, the
man I have adored from afar, every since the first time I saw him on the
TV show “City of Angels.”
I’ve met a lot of
people in my life: celebrities, best-selling authors, millionaires, and
the like, and I’ve never been so enamored by them, and definitely not at
a loss for words. I had always been known as the woman who couldn’t keep
her mouth shut, the one with the quick comebacks. But not today!
My being speechless didn’t even make the top of
list. What ranked #1 on the All Time
Stupidity List was my running around
the office like a complete idiotic fool, because the phone had rung and
I knew exactly whom it was. Hill Harper!
I ran around the
office, mind all boggled up, unable to breathe, on the verge of a
nervous breakdown because Hill Harper was on the phone, and he was going
to have a conversation with me! The thought of speaking to Hill Harper
was much better than the threesome fantasy I had in my dreams with Blair
Underwood and Michael Beach. Well, wait…hmmm.
Finally, I had
regained my composure; turned on the digital recorder my brother had
given me as a gift, and sat down to receive the mental orgasm of my
life. Did I say I loved me some Hill Harper?
Hill Harper, an
Ivy League educated, award-winning actor and entrepreneur, has made it
his life’s purpose to help instill self-confidence, tolerance, morality
and humility into young men.
Harper saw first hand while mentoring, that
today’s youth are at a loss for positive role models, constructive
outlets, and the motivation to dream big and accomplish anything they
set their minds to. In his New York Times bestselling book, Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your
Destiny, he provides uplifting
wisdom that encourages, empowers, and provides alternative views of what
it truly means to strive to be a successful man.
Letters to a Young Brother,
a series of letters written from a brother-to-brother point of view, is
based on questions that young men have personally asked Harper. In the
book, Hill addresses many of the tough issues by providing his own
personal insights along with those of various successful men and women.
The book is
literally a roadmap for mentors, targeting young males lacking positive
role models. Harper offers uplifting wisdom and constructive outlets
that encourage, empower, and provide alternative e views of what it
truly means to strive to be a successful male. The book touches on
topics such as building solid foundations with friends and family;
mining our resources with school, work and money; girls, sex and
relationships, dreams and aspirations, as well as Harper shares personal
life occurrences, offering advice and a “way out.”
In today’s
society, there seems to be a lack of mentoring for our young brothers
(and sisters too). Hill’s inspiration comes from deep within, a strong
family background, and high morals and values. “We are in crisis mode,”
said Harper. “Metaphorically speaking, our young men are lying in the
streets injured and we, as men, need to stop right now, look at
ourselves in the mirror and say that we have to do something.”
Letters to a Young Brother
is written with a sophisticated theme, but is accessible to even the
most reluctant reader, “because that is whom I wanted to reach. You see
the tone, style and writing content is critically important, which is
why I included the pictures in the book of me with different people,”
said Harper. He feels it’s all about caring, trying to bring the reader
into the book, showing that this is not an academic book or an
assignment from school, but rather something you would want to read
because you want to read it, and the response has been overwhelming.
Harper receives hundreds of e-mails a day.
Harper’s initial
experience with trying to get his book published was disheartening.
Several of the publishers indicated that “It’s a great idea but we don’t
believe young boys read, and if they do, we don’t know how to reach
them.” In one book pitch meeting, he was told, “Hill, please don’t write
a book for this population; we want to do a book with you, but please
not this book, you are proposing a book for a population that doesn’t
read.”
Harper proved the naysayer wrong, by sending out a
personal plea asking for support in promoting
Letters to a Young Brother,
requesting people to buy multiple copies and gift them to any young men
or parents of young men. Prior to the April 20, 2006 release date,
10,000 copies were sold via pre-orders.
Click On Photos To
Enlarge
All proceeds from the sale of
Letters to a Young Brother
will go towards
The MANifest Your Destiny Foundation,
a non-profit youth organization, established by Harper, dedicated to
empowering, encouraging, and inspiring underserved males to succeed. The
philosophy behind the organization is to provide young men with
nurturing support systems, resources, encouragement, and guidance though
mentorship, scholarship and grant programs.
The MANifest Your Destiny Foundation
provides financial resources and practical experience to support young
men’s academic or professional field of interest. Internships and/or
apprenticeships are awarded to eligible young people who have
demonstrated their passions and commitment to furthering their education
through academic achievement and community service, much like the
founder Hill Harper. In addition, the organization awards grants to
deserving young men seeking to start their own business.
This interview was the most fulfilling and
intriguing I’ve ever done. Hill Harper is my favorite actor, and he’s
not bad on the eyes either. I am a huge fan of
CSI: New York
and I make it my business to catch every role he has portrayed. But,
what people say is true. You really don’t know someone until you sit and
have a conversation. He is truly God’s gift and I feel richer having
been in his presence.
Hill, thank you
for a wonderful interview and making this fan’s dream come true. Oh
yeah, and thanks for one hell of a…well you know. :::Wink::::
Jessica
Tilles is the best-selling author of Anything Goes, In My Sisters’
Corner, Apple Tree, Sweet Revenge, Fatal Desire and Unfinished Business, co-founder of J.T.’s
Book Corner and columnist for Black Men In America.com.
So what do you think? If you would
like to respond to this article
click here
and sign our
Guestbook
to leave a public or private
comment.
George E.
Curry Continues To Be One Of The Great Voices In Black America
I think that
George E. Curry is one of the great “voices” in journalism and in black
America. If you have not heard of him or read his work, here is your
opportunity.
I became aware of
George’s work about 18 years ago. I read one of his newspaper articles
in the late 1980’s and was drawn to his “tell it like it is” style of
writing. George E. Curry was named “Journalist of the Year” by the
National Association of Black Journalists in 2003 and is listed by
the organization as one of the most influential Black journalists of the
20th Century. He was president of the American Society of
Magazine Editors (ASME), the first African-American to hold the
group’s top position. Curry has been in journalism for 36 years,
starting as a reporter for Sports Illustrated, working as
a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, as a
Washington correspondent and New York Bureau Chief for the Chicago
Tribune, Editor-in-Chief of Emerge: Black America’s Newsmagazineand now as a syndicated columnist and Editor-in-Chief of the
National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) News Service.
He is frequently in demand as a public speaker and appears frequently as
a commentator on radio and TV.
Last week George
Curry and I met in downtown Washington, D.C. In addition to having a
great time, I walked away with some additional “life lessons.” In fact,
I seem to always get one of those “a-ha or light bulb” moments after
talking with George. One of the great things about George is that he is
willing to share his vast knowledge and experience with folks who are
willing to listen and take action.
Here is my
exclusive interview with George E. Curry.
George E. Curry:
A Voice That Needs To Be Heard
BMIA:
First of all, George, thank you for taking the time to participate in
this interview. How important has education been in your life?
GEC:
Thank you for this opportunity. Education is and has always been the
passport out of poverty. That was true when I was growing up in
segregated Tuscaloosa, Ala. and that’s true today. More than any other
factor, education determines what kind of life you, your children and
grandchildren will have. In addition, it provides broad knowledge that
is so necessary in everyday life.
BMIA:
Tell us about your background.
GEC:
As I mentioned, I grew up in Tuscaloosa, Ala., the oldest of four
children and the only son. My mother did domestic work and my stepfather
drove at dump truck at the University of Alabama during a period when
African-Americans were not allowed to enroll. Neither of my parents
completed high school, but they emphasized the importance of getting a
sound education. Even growing up in public housing, we had subscriptions
to The Tuscaloosa News, the local daily, and the Pittsburgh Courier, the
Black newspaper that opened up a whole new world for me. I learned so
much about Black history and Black accomplishments from the Pittsburgh
Courier.
BMIA:
That’s a great testimony to the importance of black newspapers in our
communities. Do you have any other strong childhood memories?
GEC:
Yes, I mentioned my mother doing domestic work. When she returned home
from work, she had to ride in the back seat of the car. That angered me
and it angers me to this day. As a boy and I told my three sisters,
“They better enjoy this one because the only time any of us are going to
be in anyone’s back seat is when we are being chauffeured.” Racism can
cause you to react two ways: it can crush you or it can serve as a
motivator. It motivated me. It made me more determined to succeed.
BMIA:
How did you get into the newspaper business?
GEC:
I’ve known since the 8th grade that I wanted to become a
journalist.
BMIA:
Since the 8th grade?
GEC:
Yes. At the time, I had never met a Black journalist and the only way
African-Americans appeared in the local newspaper was if they were
athletes, entertainers or suspected of committing a crime. I knew there
were many more stories in our community and I wanted to tell them.
Ironically, I could and did get a job directly out of Knoxville College
as a reporter for Sports Illustrated, the largest sports magazine in the
world, but couldn’t get a job with my hometown newspaper. Looking back,
they probably did me a favor. I should send them a thank-you note.
BMIA:
What prompted you to become editor of EMERGE magazine?
GEC:
That was in 1993 and by then I had worked at Sports Illustrated,
the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and for the Chicago Tribune,
both as a Washington correspondent and as the New York bureau chief.
When Bob Johnson, CEO of Black Entertainment Television (BET),
offered me the job as editor-in-chief, I jumped at the opportunity. I
felt I could draw on all of my past professional experience and develop
Emerge into a true, cutting-edge, take-no-prisoners
newsmagazine. And we did just that, winning more than 40 national
journalism awards. It was the best job I’ve ever had.
When I took the job,
my stepfather, William Polk, said, “George, you’re doing the opposite of
what White people have done. They have usually raided the Black Press to
hire reporters for White papers. But you have done the reverse, you’re
taking Blacks from White papers and bringing them home.” I hadn’t really
looked at it that way.
BMIA:
How hard is it to operate and manage a print magazine?
GEC:
Journalistically, it was no different from operating at any other place.
The challenge was that because it was a monthly, there was always a
struggle to remain timely. Most people don’t know this, but there is a
three-month lead time in magazines. That means I had to look three
months into the future and predict, as best I could, what the world
would look like when that issue would be published. So we would time our
Clarence Thomas stories, for example, to the opening session of
the Supreme Court. Our Kemba Smith story was first published in
May, when students were graduating. In fact, our first cover story on
Kemba featured her in a cap and gown. It wasn’t always easy – sometimes
we were good and at other times, we lucked out.
BMIA:
What were the challenges that led to the demise of EMERGE
magazine?
GEC:
How much time do you have? Where shall I begin? Let me begin by stating
that for the seven years that I was editor of Emerge, Bob Johnson
and Debra Lee, the publisher, granted me complete freedom to run
the magazine as I saw fit. As you know, we were pretty controversial.
We ran Clarence Thomas on the cover with an Aunt Jemima-style
handkerchief on his head and depicted affirmative action foe Ward
Connerly as a puppet, replete with the strings. At no point did Bob
or Deb say, “Tone it down” or ask me to go easy on anyone. I think it’s
important to state that for the record.
Emerge
was closed in the summer of 2000 to make way for
Savoy
magazine. Perhaps I shouldn’t say this, but I am going to say it anyway
– Savoy
was nothing but Ebony
on steroids. It was a fluff magazine. At the time, Bob Johnson was in
the process of selling BET
to Viacom and essentially farmed out the company’s magazines to Keith
Clinkscales, whose plan was to kill Emerge and start Savoy.
What eventually happened was that Keith killed at least five Black
magazines over a two-year period – Emerge, Heart & Soul,
BET Weekend,
Honey
and a couple of others. That’s his legacy.
What irked me more
than anything else was that Emerge was on the verge of making
money; we were close to breaking even. In the magazine industry, it
often takes a while to earn a profit, but once magazines turn the
corner, they can earn millions every year. At the time they killed Emerge, our circulation was larger than the Nation, the
New
Republic and the Weekly Standard, all magazines that had been
publishing longer than Emerge. But they had owners sensitive to
how long it would take to make a profit and they were supported. We
didn’t enjoy that support and, hence, the closing of Emerge.
BMIA:
What was the most important lesson you learned when you were running
EMERGE magazine?
GEC:
A.J. Liebling, the famous media critic, said: “Freedom of the press is
guaranteed only to those who own one.” My next step will be to own a
media entity, not working for someone else. If I own it, I can determine
its fate. I never want to go through the experience I went through with
the shutdown of Emerge.
BMIA:
I understand that EMERGE may be on its way back to the newsstands. Is
this true?
GEC:
Let me put it this way: I will not be happy until I own a news outlet
and that may or may not be in the form of Emerge. I am determined to
come back out with something that does not insult the intelligence of
our people. That’s the most I wish to say about it at this point, but
stay tuned.
BMIA:
You’ve written three books. Although, they’re somewhat different, what
do you want readers to learn or “get” from your work?
GEC:
You’re right, all three are different. The first, written when I was
29-years-old, was about Jake Gaither, the legendary former
football coach at Florida A&M University who won 85 percent of his games
over 25 years and never had a losing season. The second was, “The
Affirmative Action Debate” and the last one was, “The Best of Emerge
Magazine.” I am at work on book #4, which I will discuss once I’ve
finished writing it.
More than anything
else, I want readers to appreciate the enormous contributions of
African-Americans. I hear many African-Americans complain about Whites
writing about Black history. Two of them --David Garrow and Taylor Branch – have won Pulitzer Prizes for books they wrote on the
Civil Rights Movement. But if we don’t write our own history, we forfeit
our right to complain.
BMIA:
Who are some of the people that you admire?
GEC:
Historically, W.E. DuBois is my all-time favorite. I also admire
William Monroe Trotter, Paul Robeson and
Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
As an adult, Nelson Mandela is clearly in a class by himself. I
am also a huge fan of Mary Frances Berry, the former chair of the
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
The people who
influenced me the most growing up are not nationally-known: Robert L.
Glynn, the head of McKenzie Court, my housing project in Tuscaloosa;
Mr. Robert Wade and his family were considered the First Family of our
housing projects and set some pretty high standards for all of us; my
high school principal, McDonald Hughes, was legendary and
influenced thousands of us; Mrs. Johnnie Giglio, my first-grade
teacher; Mrs. Hazel Hackett, my homeroom teacher and high school
guidance counselor; Mrs. Dorothy Smith or Miss Dot, as she is
known, a neighbor who knew me before I knew myself; Henry Holbert,
my high school football coach, and my football coach at Knoxville
College, I.G. Brown. Dr. Robert Owens, the president of
Knoxville College at the time, impacted me greatly. Of course, my mother
and stepfather as well as my uncles and aunts had more influence on me
than anyone.
BMIA:
What role did they play in your personal and/or professional
development?
GEC:
Each of them, in his or her own way, gave me guidance, inspiration,
encouragement and tenacity. Amid rigid segregation, they told us that we
could excel and accomplish anything we desired. They didn’t place
limitations on our dreams and made sure no one else did, either.
Remember, I attended all-Black schools in Tuscaloosa. When the school
system was finally desegregated, the down side of integration was that
the best Black teachers were often assigned to the predominantly White
schools and the worst White teachers were assigned to the Black schools.
I am so blessed to have attended school under the care of loving, caring
and demanding Black teachers.
BMIA:
How do you define success?
GEC:
I define success as what you do for others, not what you do for
yourself. What have you done to impact and uplift the people who need it
the most? That’s the test, that’s the yardstick.
BMIA:
What has been your greatest success?
GEC:
That’s an easy one. In 1977, I, along with my friends in the Greater
St. Louis Association of Black Journalists, began a workshop for
Black high school students. We held intense, daylong sessions for seven
or eight consecutive Saturdays. With the help of local chapters of the
National Association of Black Journalists, I started similar
workshops in Washington, D.C. and New York. Overall, there are about 15
workshops, all of them still running, patterned after the St. Louis
model.
Working with
Northwestern University, I also taught in a special Washington-based
program for students from historically Black colleges. Prior to that, I
taught summers at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. At
different points, I have been able to read an Associated Press story by
Bennie Currie or a Chicago Tribune story by his wife,
Celeste
Garrett, whom he met in the St. Louis program. I can turn on CBS-TV
and see Russ Mitchell, one of my former students, or BET and see
Jacqui Reed, another former student. If I travel to Nashville, I
can stop by to see E.J. Mitchell, the editor of the Tennesseean.
If I go to Columbus, Ga., Ben Holden is the top editor there. If
I am in Orlando, Mark Russell is managing editor of the Orlando
Sentinel. Another former student, Ann Scales, used to cover the
White House for the Boston Globe. My former students have worked
for the Wall Street Journal, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,
the New York Daily News, the Newark Star-Ledger, the
Atlanta Constitution, the Philadelphia Inquirer,
ESPN
magazine, TV and radio stations and too many other places to name.
Of course, these
students probably would have made it anyway, but I am delighted to have
helped them along the way.
Even more satisfying
than having my former students become my colleagues is that some of them
started their own workshops. There is nothing more satisfying than that.
Nothing. Not only did they appreciate what we had done for them when
they were young, they understood that they have an obligation to train
the next generation of Black journalists. It doesn’t get any better than
that.
GEC:
www.BlackPressUSA.com
is the official Web site of the
NNPA, the National Newspaper
Publishers Association. It is actually administered by the NNPA
Foundation and contains stories published in our member newspapers.
BMIA:
How many people do you “reach” through your various media outlets?
GEC:
More than 15 million.
BMIA:
What’s the state of Black journalism? Do we need more journalist of
color in our community?
GEC:
As I mentioned in my speech at the Millions More Movement, my
fear is that Black-owned media is at risk of being taken over by
White-owned companies. Look at what’s been happening to Black businesses
in general. Motown Records was sold. Johnson Hair Products
in Chicago was sold. BET was sold to Viacom. Essence was
sold to Time, Inc. Black Voices.com is owned and operated
by AOL, a Time-Warner subsidiary. Over the next 50 years,
the U.S. population is expected to grow by 50 percent. During that
period, the White segment of the population is expected to increase only
by 7 percent. Shortly after the year 2050, Whites will be a minority in
this country. So, there is nowhere else to expand except to purchase our
valued Black institutions and businesses. To avoid that, some Black
papers and broadcast outlets may need to merge in order to become
stronger.
As for journalists,
yes, we need greater and broader representation, but not representation
simply for representation’s sake. It’s not enough to hire someone with a
Black skin and a White mind. We should have learned that from the Clarence Thomas experience. We need journalists of color in these
newsrooms who know that they bring different perspectives to the table
and are not afraid of defending those perspectives. They must not be
what Nathan Hare calls “Black Anglo-Saxons.”
BMIA:
What role does journalism play in today’s political process?
GEC:
Journalists should be watchdogs for the public. But too many of them
have become lapdogs for those in power. Some are nothing more than
glorified stenographers.
BMIA:
Are Black journalists held to a higher standard? Should they be?
GEC:
Not just Black journalists, generally most Blacks in all walks of life
are held to a higher standard. Is it fair? No, but it is reality. What
we must do, particularly with our young people, is to remind them that
despite that double standard, they can still be successful. We don’t
tell them that enough.
BMIA:
How has the Internet changed life for Black folks?
GEC:
The Internet has produced an information explosion. It is a weapon of
mass instruction – for everyone. Unfortunately, there is a gap between
computer ownership among Whites and Blacks, but we’re closing that gap.
The Internet provides a unique opportunity to close the information and
education gap between Whites and people of color.
BMIA:
Why is it important to have Black-owned and Black interest media in our
society?
GEC:
In 1827, Freedom’s Journal, the first Black newspaper,
proclaimed: “We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken
for us.” This is just as true today as it was in 1827. Now matter how
you look at it -- and I spent almost a quarter of a century in the
White-owned press – White publications are not going to reflect the
goals, aspirations, and perspectives of African-Americans or people of
color. As I mentioned earlier, an increasing number of conglomerates
are buying Black businesses and we risk losing the few voices that we
have.
BMIA:
What’s the best thing about being George Curry?
GEC:
I’ve never been asked that question. Miss Dot, a family friend back in
Tuscaloosa, told someone who was surprised that she knew me, “I knew
George Curry before George Curry was George Curry.” And she did.
I never think about
being George Curry, as such, but I do recognize that I have media
platforms that most people don’t enjoy. The military can strike by land,
air or sea. I can voice my opinions in print, on radio, on TV or over
the Internet. Because I have that access, I feel a special obligation to
voice the concerns of the voiceless. When you see me on TV, whether it’s
on the Today Show, Nightline, C-SPAN, Good Morning
America, BET or wherever, you better believe that I have thoroughly
prepared for that appearance. Too many people are counting on me to
represent, as young people like to say, and I can’t let them down. I’m
not just representing George Curry. I’m just the conduit, representing
millions who will never have access to national TV.
BMIA:
In your opinion what’s the biggest challenge facing Black men in
America?
GEC:
Let me start with the general and move to the specific. Over the years,
the fundamental issues for Black people have, for the most part,
remained unchanged: education, employment, economic development, access
to health care, political empowerment or what some call civic engagement
and more recently, the prison industrial complex. Racism is the common
denominator that runs through all of those.
As for men, we’ve all
read the dreary statistics about more men in their 20’s being imprisoned
than enrolled in college. I do a lot of speaking around the country each
month, especially on college campuses, and I am appalled by the number
of women in college compared to the paucity of Black men. That has
tremendous ramifications for the future of Black families and our
community, if we are to continue as a community.
I edited the
National Urban League’s “State of Black America 2006
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