July 30 - August 5, 2010

'Where do we go from here?' former U.S. official asks

By Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA Editor-in-Chief

Ousted U.S. Agriculture official Shirley Sherrod poses with her husband, Rev. Charles Sherrod, a longtime civil rights activist who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speaking from the couple's home in Albany, Ga. (NNPA photo).

WASHINGTON – Former Department of Agriculture official Shirley Sherrod, still reeling from the blow to her character and civil rights record, said she hopes the events that happened to her will help America move forward with racial healing.

In an interview with the Black Press of America, Sherrod offered passionate reflections on last week's controversy, discussed her deep personal wounds, and discussed where she hopes America will go from here.

It has been a whirlwind week for the south Georgia resident who went from relative obscurity publicly to becoming a household name in a matter of days. Here's what happened that ignited a firestorm of controversy:
Conservative bloggers started circulating a distorted and edited video of a March 2010 speech to the NAACP in which Sherrod was made to appear as if she had discriminated against a white farmer.

In an effort to contain the damage, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack demanded Sherrod's resignation without seeing the full video or hearing the context of the remarks.

The videotaped remarks out-of-context also were condemned by the NAACP, whose president, Ben Jealous, later said in a statement of apology that they were "snookered by Fox News and Tea Party Activist Andrew Breitbart," the blogger who initially released the edited video.

But, as the truth was revealed by the release of the full video, Sherrod not only received public apologies from Vilsack and an offer of employment back at Agriculture – an offer she was still considering this week – but she also received a phone call from President Barack Obama himself who she said expressed heartfelt regrets.

In fact, the White farmer himself, 88-year-old Roger Spooner, and his wife Eloise, appeared live on CNN and rebuked all who had condemned Sherrod, calling the controversy "ridiculous."

"I couldn't believe it. She was unbelievably helpful in every way. She saved our farm," Roger Spooner said. "This all here is a bunch of hogwash in my opinion. She was as nice to us as anyone could have been. As far as racism and all, that's just ridiculous."

Interview with Shirley Sherrod:
NNPA: How have you gotten through this? It must have been so painful knowing your family's history and background and your husband's history and background in civil rights.
Sherrod: It's been the prayers of people around this country and my prayers and my family's prayers that helped me to deal with this. But, you have to know that when you're in the struggle, you deal with these bumps in the road. I've had to deal with so many difficult things through my life that it's hard to even look at this as a crisis because I've had to deal with some for years.

NNPA: So, are you saying that in the context of all that you've had to deal with, that this is like a bump in the road?
Sherrod: Well, it's been a big bump. But, I've had to deal with stuff for years… But you have to do what you've got to do and don't let it get you unfocused and just continue working.

NNPA: Is there anything new and different that the Obama Administration can do going forward pertaining to civil rights or Black people that you think was revealed during your situation?
Sherrod: Well, I think they've got to be willing to discuss the issues. I think they shouldn't be afraid to discuss the issues because I'm a believer that if we can try to talk through things, we can probably get to a point where we can find some common ground to work from. But, if you continue to brush it under the rug and think the problem is over, it doesn't go away and we saw that [last] week. And I think that's what has happened.

NNPA: Is that something that you think the White House should initiate – a discussion or forum on race?
Sherrod: Well, right now I can't say that's where it needs to come from, but they certainly need to play a role.

NNPA: Were you disappointed at the NAACP?
Sherrod: Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. You know, yes I was. To be the brunt of their criticism – of all agencies – when you look at my work and it was the NAACP… Oh my goodness. I've put in more years working, probably than, I don't know how old Ben Jealous is…

NNPA: 37
Sherrod: Hey, I've worked more years than his age. I've been working 45 years.

NNPA: Of course they apologized, but even with all the apologies, it's like where do we go from here as it pertains to race in America?
Sherrod: We have to discuss it. We have to make some attempt to deal with it. We can't not deal with it. What are we leaving for our children who come along behind us? Are we setting up another hundred years of the same thing?

NNPA: Are you hurt that Andrew Breitbart has not apologized to you?
Sherrod: An apology from him, what will it mean? If he said it right now, I don't think he would mean it. I think he would just be saying it because of pressure from people.

NNPA: You said on CNN that you thought that he would want to see all Black people back in slavery. In other words, you implied that you felt that he was a racist.
Sherrod: I know he is. It takes a racist to be able to do what he's doing.

NNPA: When do you plan to decide where you go from here? Have you gotten any book offers? We saw you on The View. You are really out there.
Sherrod: I was telling my sister this morning that I guess everything I've done up to now prepared me for this. But, I wasn't scared. I have four sisters. I told her it was just like sitting down talking to you all.

NNPA: So, how do you see the rest of your life? How has this impacted your life?
Sherrod: Well it has certainly changed because down here, people who know my work and my husband and my family, I go to the grocery store and I spend a little more time because I run into people I know and talk to. But, now that's changed to everywhere I go. (Laughter). I'm here getting my car washed and the lady here, she is White. She just said, 'I love you.'

NNPA: And we saw your reunion with the Spooners and that was so touching. They seem to be such a wonderful people. Do you plan to write a book about your life?
Sherrod: Yes, they are. People have been telling me, who have known me for years, "You need to write a book." And my standard answer has been, "I'm working so hard that I don't have the time that it takes to write a book." But, I've had text messages and I even got a FedEx yesterday from someone offering to write the book, the story. And I think I do need to do that. Yes.

NNPA: Is there anything that you would want to say to Black America moving forward?
Sherrod: I've never wanted the limelight. That's just not me. But, if the things that have happened to me this week really help move us; those of us who live in this country to a better place where we can try to deal with the racial issues, the issues of love and togetherness; then I feel that everything that I've been through is worth it.

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July 23 - 29, 2010

Former Atlanta activist wins Freedom Award

By Rhonda Barnett
Contributing Writer

Longtime civil rights activist Dorothy Cotton, a former Atlantan, has been named one of three winners of this year’s National Freedom Awards from the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.

Cotton, 80, is being honored for her work in education and in social change, organizers say. This is the first time in the museum’s history that all winners of the human and civil rights award are women.

The other recipients are International Freedom Award winner Wangari Maathai of Kenya and Legacy Freedom Award winner actress Eva Longoria Parker.

“Too often, we do not celebrate and solute woman for their contributions,” said museum president Beverly Robertson. “Women are always the power behind the throne, and we think they should be on the throne.”
“During the ’60s, it was said that the woman’s place was in the home,” Robertson added. “Dr. Cotton’s place was not only in the home but on the forefront of the movement, which is why we saw fit to honor her.”
The award ceremony will be held. Oct. 6.

Cotton was the was the education director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference from 1960 to 1968 – one of the organization’s highest-rank positions – and was at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when Martin Luther King Jr. was fatally shot on April 4, 1968.

After King’s death, Cotton served as a vice president at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and was a regional director for the federal government’s agency for volunteer programs from 1978 to 1981.

She also worked as director of student activities at Cornell University before founding her own consulting company, Dorothy Cotton & Associates. She has worked with more than 100,000 participants conducting training programs for schools, universities, corporations, government agencies and non-profit organizations.
Cotton also visited the former Soviet Union, China, Vietnam and nations in Europe and Africa to discuss social and humanitarian issues.

SCLC field member field member Frederick Moore said members of the SCLC are proud of Cotton’s accomplishment.

“It feels good to have one of our previous members recognized for her hard work in educating our community teaching seniors how to read and write,” Moore said.

Wangari Maathai of Kenya founded the Green Belt Movement, which has helped plant more than 40 million trees at farms, schools and churches. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.

In the early 1990s, the Green Belt Movement worked to register voters and pressed for constitutional reform and freedom of expression in Kenya. Maathai was arrested and charged with sedition and treason in Kenya, which dropped the charges in November 1992 amid heavy international pressure.

In December, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon chose Maathai to be a U.N. “Messenger of Peace” to focus on climate change issues.

Longoria Parker of “Desperate Housewives” fame founded Eva’s Heroes, a charity that helps developmentally disabled children.

The actress also is the national spokeswoman for Padres Contra el Cancer, Spanish for Parents Against Cancer. She donated a house to a Hurricane Katrina victim and launched a campaign to house victims of the Haiti earthquake. She also has received awards from various Hispanic and Latino groups.
AP contributed to this report.

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July 16 - 22, 2010

Council seems set to confirm Turner as top cop

BY A. SCOTT WALTON
Contributing Writer

Unless unexpected opposition arises from Atlanta’s City Council, interim police chief George Turner soon will be confirmed as Mayor Kasim Reed’s choice as the city’s top law enforcement officer.

Atlanta’s interim police chief George Turner, left, smiles along with Mayor Kasim Reed after Reed nominated Turner to be the city’s top law enforcement officer at a news conference at City Hall last week. (AP Photo)

The process of installing Turner likely will be completed after the council reconvenes from its two-week recess that starts Aug. 2, said Dexter Chambers, Director of the Atlanta City Council Office of Communications.

Turner’s projected confirmation date is Aug. 16, officials say – provided the mayor submits his official letter of confirmation to the City Clerk’s office by Monday.

“If the mayor’s intent is to have it on the next legislative cycle, it has to be in on or before July 19, which is our next Council meeting,” said Foris Webb, the city’s Deputy Municipal Clerk.

Mayoral spokeswoman Sonji Jacobs Dade said the delivery of the confirmation letter was imminent, and indicated that Turner’s final approval is a virtual certainty.

“They submit the paperwork, and the council votes on it,” Dade said. “(Mayor Reed) feels really strongly about the appointment.

“Under the city’s charter, the mayor has the right to name whoever he wants. We’re continuing to do what we do on a daily basis for the city of Atlanta,” she said. “Now it’s in Council’s hands to make the confirmation or not.”

So far, no council members have spoken out against Reed’s pronouncement of Turner – a 30-year police veteran and widely seen as the best fit to lead the department.

Atlanta City Councilman C.T. Martin (District 10) said Turner has “the key ingredients” for the job.

“He’s got the experience, he knows Atlanta, he’s creative and he’s got the desire,” Martin said. “He’s been very good at increasing the police presence and he’s been focused on response times. More importantly, I think he shares the mayor’s main priority of making Atlanta safer overall.”

Atlanta’s Public Safety chairman Ivory Young Jr. said he was “confident” Turner would be confirmed.

A nationwide search – conducted with input from a citizen advisory board and the New York-based executive search firm, Russell Reynolds Associates – led to Turner’s selection. Turner, a native Atlantan, became interim chief after former police chief Richard Pennington resigned when Reed was elected mayor in November.
Since then, Atlanta’s crime rate has decreased some, and Turner has been more visible in the community.

Reed tapped Turner as the city’s new top cop on a Friday, expressing an urgency to quickly confirm Turner as permanent police chief.

Other candidates weren’t as prepared to assume the post, Reed said because, “We do not have the luxury of waiting for a new chief to come in and learn about the issues that most concern our residents.

“Interim Chief Turner knows the City’s neighborhoods and the people who live in them,” Reed said. “I want to build on the progress we have made.”

“We don’t have time to lose,” Reed said.

That sentiment left little time for any agitators to rally against his pick. But one neighborhood agency, Building Locally to Organize for Community Safety (BLOCS), is calling for a stringent review of Mayor Reed’s selection process.

Meanwhile, Kyle Keyser – founder of Atlantans Together Against Crime (ATAC) and a panelist at the Police Chief Search Committee – said he disagreed with the ground rules Mayor Reed laid out in the process, but said selecting Turner is Reed’s “prerogative.”

The sole public voice decrying the appointment of Turner apparently is a moderate tabloid newspaper, The Sunday Paper, which argued that Reed “rejected” community input.
On the morning after Reed’s appointment of Turner, The Sunday Paper straightforwardly declared:
“The citizens of Atlanta do not want George Turner to be their police chief,” and said the City Council should refuse to confirm him.

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July 9 - 15, 2010

The Atlanta Voice appoints new editor

By Serena Davis

The Atlanta Voice has named veteran journalist Gregory J. Huskisson as its new executive editor, officials announced this week.

A 25-year media veteran, Huskisson is a former Knight-Ridder editor and reporter who has managed, trained and recruited news staffs at daily and community newspapers in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Columbus, Ohio and Daytona Beach, Florida.

He also is a graduate of Morehouse College and holds a master’s degree from the prestigious Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in suburban Chicago.

“We are very pleased to announce Greg’s appointment as our executive editor,” Publisher Janis L. Ware said. “He is the consummate journalist who knows the industry thoroughly, and understands the dynamics of the new multimedia focus of our newspaper.”

“His experience and skills set matched perfectly with the ideals and legacy set forth by my father, the late J. Lowell Ware, Founder of the Atlanta Voice newspaper,” Ware added. “We are pleased to have him join us in our quest to better serve the Atlanta community.”

President and General Manager Jim Washington said Huskisson was selected among dozens of qualified candidates across the country.

“It’s always refreshing when an extended search produces the right person for the right job,” Washington said. “Greg possesses the skills and experience we were looking for to continue and extend the legacy of the Atlanta Voice. He understands we are a multimedia brand in a multimedia world in one of the most dynamic cities in the country.

“I am pleased he chose to become a member of our growing team,” Washington added. “I’m sure the community also will be pleased.”
Huskisson said he is excited about working at the Voice, which he considers one of the nation’s most progressive Black media companies.

“I am thrilled to be back in Atlanta and to be a part of the Atlanta Voice family,” Huskisson said. “Janis Ware and the editors at the Voice have built a strong foundation of editorial excellence over the years. My role, I think, is to build on that foundation and help take the Voice to the next level.”

Committed to training the next generation of journalists, Huskisson is a former director of the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund’s Summer Internship Program in Detroit, and the former director of high school journalism programs for the Detroit Free Press newspaper and the National Association of Black Journalists (Detroit Chapter).

A member of “Who’s Who in Black Chicago,” he also is a contributing author of “Chicken Soup for the African American Soul,” and is executive producer of the widely acclaimed docudrama, “Sister, I’m Sorry.” He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Minority Media Executives.

Huskisson replaces interim editor Stan Washington who is leaving the paper to pursue other interests. Washington will continue to serve as senior writer for the Voice, producing occasional stories, videos and photos for the newspaper and its Web site.

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July 2 - 8, 2010

Atlanta Beltline makes neighborhood dream become reality

By Donnell Suggs
 
The muddy terrain, still a bit saturated from a previous days rain, did not stop an excited crowd of neighborhood residents, local media, a city councilwoman and even a policeman or two from attending the groundbreaking ceremony of the Boulevard Crossing Park on Englewood Avenue between Boulevard and Hill streets.

The Beltline groundbreaking ceremony of the Boulevard Crossing Park. Photo Christopher T. Martin

Currently a construction site and previously an industrial business site, the land was sold to the Atlanta Beltline Company by the previous owners without any political hand-wringing or extra benefits. The Boulevard Crossing Park project was destined to happen, and with the help from some very imaginative people personally involved, it will definitely be completed in time for the entire neighborhood to enjoy.

A small dais stood alone amongst the hard hats, laid out just so for effect, so that the guest speakers could say a few words to properly commemorate the mornings event. Some guest were City Councilwoman Carla Smith, Atlanta Beltline President and CEO Brian Leary and Georgia State Director of the Trust for Public Land Helen Tapp to name a few. All spoke eloquently and kept the crowd’s attention.

Two of the most important guests were not members of local political factions or CEOs of companies. Simon Reynolds and Jessica Toral are just your everyday home owners, hard workers and neighbors. The two of them are also responsible for spearheading the groundwork that got Atlanta Beltline’s attention, thus giving their idea the push it needed to succeed.

Extremely active with their communities committees and fundraising projects, Simon and Jessica, respectively, came together to formulate a plan that could get that “old lot” turned into something positive for everyone to enjoy and be proud of. A plan on paper is just what it says it is - a plan on paper until there is someone behind it to make it a reality. The Atlanta Beltline is a billion dollar redevelopment project that is presently in the process of building two other Atlanta area parks. Their goals are simple: beautify Atlanta and revitalize communities throughout this great city.  So far, so good.

Along with the City of Atlanta Park Improvement organization (managing funding), Ecos Environmental Design (in charge of designing the park) and Ed Castro Landscaping(construction) results will soon follow. Currently in phase 1 of what will be a year long effort at best, there was positive feedback from Atlanta Beltline’s Director of Communications Ethan Davidson, also a speaker at the day’s event, that this park could be an even bigger addition to this already close knit beautiful neighborhood.

“We need our industrial industries and the jobs they create, but now this space is being turned into something the entire neighborhood can enjoy for years and years,” he went on to say.

Blueprints and pamphlets of the projects goals and estimated construction timeline were handed out to all who entered, thus continuing the friendly neighborhood vibe that all were welcome to join in the festivities and learn more about what was going on the Atlanta beltline websites, are also very descriptive about this and the other two projects currently under construction. Barely a stones throw from Grant Park, the Boulevard Crossing Park has all of the makings of a must see for area residents and out of town visitors alike. 
www.beltline.org and www.art.beltline.org

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June 25 - July 1, 2010

The Water is Fine at City of Atlanta Pools

By Adrienne Leon
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has been leading an initiative to provide more outdoor recreation opportunities for the city’s youth, and that dream has finally come to fruition by the opening and restoration of 13 swimming pools in local neighborhoods this summer.

ALL IN! These kids know the best way to beat the 90-plus degree temperatures in Atlanta is to spend time in the Rosa Burney swimming pool. (City of Atlanta)

Memorial Day marked the opening of 10 city of Atlanta- and three community-operated pools that are located in nearly every quadrant of the city for residents - young and old - to stay fit, keep cool and have fun this summer, officials said.

The effort comes as part of the mayor’s “Center’s of Hope” initiative, intended to keep kids away from self-destructive lifestyles by offering them more productive activities to do.  The pool openings offer a beacon of hope, considering the unfortunate circumstances many local communities had to endure concerning recreation programs and activities last year, officials said. 

In 2009, several of the city’s pools and recreation centers were closed due to budget constraints and renovations.  But this year, the city boasts twice as many pools that have been funded by designated budget dollars from the city of Atlanta and non-profit donations that went to some of the sites. 

The city-operated pools are located at Adams, Anderson, Burney, Candler, Grant, Pittman, Powell, Southbend, Thomasville and White Park facilities, which are scattered throughout the north and south parts of Atlanta.
Chastain, Garden Hills and Piedmont Parks accommodate community-run pools, all based on the city’s north side.  

Reed said the re-opening of almost all of the city’s swimming pools this summer is a big step in the right direction and it is expected to be a great benefit to many people this summer.
“These pools will have a significant impact on the quality of life for all residents in the city, especially children and young adults,” said Reed.

The mayor, along with Atlanta Councilwoman Cleta Winslow, the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs team and several residents came out to commemorate the pool openings at a “Summer Splash” celebration held on June 1 to officially kick off the outdoor pool season. 

The festivities took place at the Rosa L. Burney Park Pool in Mechanicsville, where WSB-TV anchor Jovita Moore served as host.  The Burney Park Pool was said to be the most befitting place for such a celebration, according to officials.  It is one of the locations that was been re-opened in the city-wide endeavor, following a four-year-closing that was prompted by recurring cases of vandalism.  Donations from the Arthur M. Blank Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation contributed to beautification efforts surrounding the newly-renovated standard-sized pool to give it a new beginning.

Other plans at that particular location for this month include the installation of an artistic fence that will feature an array of colorful tile mosaics along the perimeter of the swimming pool deck.  The fence totals more than 286 linear feet and it will encompass the north, east and south sides of the pool deck.  The city noted its hiring and training of staff to manage the pools and to make sure safety is a priority.  

In addition to these pool projects, the mayor remains optimistic about the outcome of his request to the Atlanta City Council to approve $3.7 million in his fiscal year 2011 budget proposal that will help re-open all the city’s recreation centers by the end of the calendar year.

Operating hours and days for pool patrons vary.  Daily rates are $4 for adults and $2 for senior citizens and children. No charge is required for children under 5.  For more information on operating hours, call the City of Atlanta at 404-546-6788.

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