October 25, 2015

Reality Check

Justice (And What Else?) on the National Mall
By A. Peter Bailey

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - As a somewhat skeptical attendee at the “Justice or Else” rally commemorating the 20^th anniversary of the 1995 Million Man March, I hoped that at least one of the scheduled speakers would provide concrete guidance to the thousands gathered on the National Mall of the critical issues of confrontation with the police, the use of economics as a weapon in the ongoing campaign for equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity and the never-ending psychological attacks on the minds of Black folks.

Several speakers touched on these issues in their remarks during their presentations but not one gave them the attention they so desperately require.

For instance, it would have been helpful if someone with deep expertise had provided young Black folks with solid, concrete on what to do when confronted by police, many of whom have a very stereotypical attitude about us, especially Black teenagers and young adults. They will often goad them into actions that can then be used as excuses for arrests or worse. This, of course, is nothing new. They did that when I was a young man. The difference is we were given some direction on ways to respond. That’s not done enough today.

Another issue included in the rhetoric of several speakers, but not emphasized by any of the ones I heard was the most effective ways we can use our individual and group economic resources as a forceful weapon in this money-driven society. If the people in Ferguson had gone to the White store owners in that city and demanded that they do something about the killing of Michael Brown by that White police officer or lose them as customers, there would have been no need to demonstrate and chant XXX slogans. With Black folks reportedly making up 65 percent of Ferguson’s population, those White storeowner would have dealt with that situation swiftly and decisively. That police officer would have been thrown under the bus by those interested only in their profits. In significant instances our support determines whether business operates in the red or black. That’s a weapon for promoting and defending our interests. It’s too bad this was not clearly delivered to those gathered on the Mall.

Finally, I wish at least one speaker had outlined in some detail how movies, television, school textbooks, newspapers, magazines, song lyrics, the internet, etc. are used as instruments for psychological attacks on our minds by the proponents of White supremacy. Again, several speakers touched on this in a rhetorical way, but no one really emphasized it.

While at the event, I came across an article in the March 18, 2014 issue of the Final Call that was worth reading to the thousands of attendees. Columnist Tingba Muhammed, with passion and talent, explained the pivotal role that Hollywood has played in this psychological warfare. For warfare is exactly what it is. In movie after movie, more covertly that 40-50 years ago, people of color, especially Black folks, are depicted as inferior to Whites, in all human endeavors. My own image of African people was initially provided by the Tarzan movies. In a segregated movie theater in Tuskegee, Ala., where I grew up, I, along with dozens of other Black youngsters, ages 7-14, would cheer enthusiastically as the White man and his chimpanzee beat up on African warriors. We ridiculed and laughed at African people in those and many other movies and television programs. The only national leaders that I am aware of who consistently and forcefully warned us about that kind of psychological warfare were Brother Malcolm X and Dr. C. DeLores Tucker. One rarely hears any of today’s “national leaders” deal with this critical subject.

Other impressions about the "Justice or Else" rally are as follows:

Anesthesiologist Dr. Keith Hunter

The march had great energy and assembled many different ages and peoples. I especially appreciate the call for unity with First Peoples and Latino folks as our collective oppression should not be confused if the violations seem to be purposely presented as separate and apart. I appreciate the call for frugality during holidays as withdrawal of our dollars from this time of the year can cause financial pain to evil business people. I appreciate the call for 10,000 fearless men to stand between our people and lawless police. I felt that young people might have benefitted from some more concrete suggestions in addition to the character and morality upliftment that we definitely need.

Howard University Professor Josh Myers

The beauty of the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March was the different voices that participated. The turnout represented a range of different representations of the Black community. The takeaway of the march for me was that we should use these moments of convening to learn from each other's struggles and fortify ourselves in the face of the various issues we continue to face. We might better forge ahead when we know that there are others committed to the same kinds of struggle that we are. So the opportunity to convene was a crucial component of the march. Also, I am most excited about the economic boycott that has been planned as one of many action items. It is an action that even those may disagree with each other can participate in collectively. As such, it is a start to build an operational unity out of the diverse tapestry of Black struggle that was represented at the march.

Composer, Producer, Director Chapman Roberts

As I strolled through the Washington Mall with the intention of basking in The Sun on the stairs of The National Gallery with the large overflow crowd, I was at first subliminally cognizant of that slightly uneasy 'something is missing' feeling. Suddenly it kicked in that it was the proverbial 'first time' thrill accompanied by the adrenalin rush only a new adventure can induce. With that I noticed the marked absence of old tension which had been replaced by a sense of the bucolic, in fact Peace. In that state of epiphany I contentedly embraced the 20th anniversary of The Million Man March as a sign that finally all of we many thousands had voluntarily come together seemingly of one mind, purpose and spirit and in that sense truly overcome. And I was glad.

Anthony Dennison

The march was all inclusive of the entire African American community as opposed to the last march twenty years ago that excluded women. This event let the nation see that African Americans are serious about issues facing our community such as police brutality. Minister Farrakhan squandered his chance to say something meaningful when the world was watching him. The rally...titled 'Justice or Else,' never defined the meaning of else!

Minister Louis Farrakhan reportedly described the rally as “the beginning of a movement.”

Let’s hope that’s the case.

A. Peter Bailey, whose latest book is Witnessing Brother Malcolm X, the Master Teacher, can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Oct. 25, 2015

By Marc H. Morial 

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela

Next week, Acting U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam will join dozens of other elected officials, university presidents and education experts for an unprecedented national summit , presented by the National Urban League and USA Funds, to confront the issues of higher education completion and – most importantly – affordability.

Even as millions of America’s young people are desperate to find work, the nation’s employers could be scrambling to find qualified candidates to fill millions of jobs in the next five years.

By every measure, the nation’s higher education system is failing the nation’s poor and minorities, leaving the most vulnerable communities behind. College completion rates for students of color are abysmal: Barely 40 percent of black students and barely half of Hispanic students complete four-year degree programs within six years of enrollment, compared with more than 60 percent of white students.

The summit kicks off with the release of Gallup’s first-ever survey of minority student outcomes.  We look forward to the nation’s most in-depth look at the challenges facing minority students, which will illuminate and expand upon last year’s National Urban League Report, “From Access to Completion: A Seamless Path to College Graduation for African American Students.”

That report found that a major barrier to college completion is financial: A majority of African-American college students, 65 percent, are balancing their studies with full-time work and family responsibilities.  As a consequence of these responsibilities, African American students whose incomes qualify are likely to receive less financial aid because they are enrolled less-than-fulltime.

African-American students’ part-time status also leads to reductions in their maximum Pell Grant award and other state and federal financial aid.

Our research found that higher levels of financial support corresponded to higher graduation rates. Coupling financial aid with personalized supports for students has already shown promising results in state higher education systems and individual institutions.

The monetary value of a college degree is well-documented. Study after study has shown college graduates can expect to anywhere from a half-million to a million dollars more over a career than those without a degree. Census data released last month shows the median weekly salary for a college graduate is almost twice that of someone holding only a high school diploma.

But it’s not only income that rises along with education. Voting rates, volunteerism, intellectual curiosity and tolerance for other viewpoints also correspond to educational level.  More education means better health, and the more educated someone is, the more physically active they are.

The unemployment rate for college graduates, 3.5 percent, is well below the nation’s median rate of 5 percent.  For high school graduates, the rate is 6 percent and among high school dropouts, 9 percent.

Meanwhile, the potential skills gap our nation faces will have employers scrambling to find qualified candidates with postsecondary credentials required for an estimated 5 million jobs by 2020.

Government leaders must support innovative, results-driven, more affordable ways of delivering postsecondary education and training to at-risk youth so they are prepared for quality employment in jobs that are in-demand in the workforce.

Oct. 25, 2015

The Color Black
By Dr. E. Faye Williams

(TriceEdneyWire.com) — I remember a time when the worst thing you could call an African American was BLACK.  I've witnessed people angered to the point of fighting because someone called them BLACK.  I grew up where a paper bag could determine your place of acceptance in a social environment.  Stories abound, even today, about marriages and relationships challenged by the unwillingness of one person's family to accept the dark(er) complexion of the other.

Historically, WE have been conditioned to the belief system, established through and by slavery, that a lighter complexion signified a superior humanity.  This was engendered by the slave master who fathered and favored his light off-spring.  Not recognized by whites for their humanity in its entirety, their level of favored treatment established the belief that something was inherently "bad" about a dark complexion.

Myopically accepting this characterization, inside our own communities, WE imposed the same characterizations upon ourselves.  It took over a hundred years, the Civil Rights and Cultural Awareness Movements,  and the realization of our common plight to degrade, not eliminate, our own self-hatred.

Now, out of the darkness of self-hatred and ignorance emerges the book, "I HATE BLACK WOMEN."  Amazon.com describes it:

"(T.C.) Writer is on a lifelong mission to help fellow African American women better themselves. But her tools are not conventional, including ‘I Hate Black Women’, Writer’s latest book. Firm in her belief that the African American audience respond better to hate than love, Writer’s provocative manifesto untangles how black women often make life difficult for themselves, fostering a culture and reputation that ultimately finds them discriminated on by the rest of society." 

In full disclosure, I will admit to not having read the book.  The premise of the title is so ridiculous as to not waste my time or resources doing so.  On its face, it follows the all too familiar pattern of demonizing a group of Black people - in this case Black Women.  It is best critiqued by those who have read (at least a portion of) it.  These are excerpts of reader reviews:

October 3, 2015

Wow. Self hating tripe masquerading as thoughtful teaching. No thanks, there's enough hatred to deal with without seeing a (supposed) black woman hating on herself and her mother, sisters, family, friends... ?

October 4, 2015

...Reading this book literally felt like I was feeding my mind poison, and I really couldn't get passed the second chapter. This author has blamed ALL black women for 100% of all the ills in the black community, and says boldly, "All Black women are the same." All of us. We are unredeemable, unlovable, everyone hates us, we are repulsive, not worth the air we breathe.

October 4, 2015

It's a sad day in America, the land of the "free" when I discover a major 'respected' company such as Amazon selling racist hate speech.

I will not purchase anything from Amazon and I will be canceling all of my subscriptions indefinitely or until this book is taken down.

My objection with the book begins with its title.  I object to hate.  Hate totally discounts the worth of the target of hatred - "Black Women."    Hatred is blind, cruel and allows us to reach unjustified, stereotypical conclusions about others.

Contemporary challenges to the African American community are so monumental as to leave no room for divisive interaction.  We cannot allow those who for reasons of profit or masochism distract us from our goals of personal or group achievement.  Our lives and the futures of our children are too important to engage in the pattern of petty conflict attributed to us.

I LOVE BLACK WOMEN AND BLACK PEOPLE!  And, as a Sister, my goal is to model the behavior that extends that love to all.

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is National President of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc.  www.nationalcongressbw.org.  202/678-6788)

Oct. 18, 2015

Black and Hispanic Newspaper Publishers Form National Advertising Task Force

As NNPA President Dr. Ben Chavis signs agreement forming the new advertising task force, he is joined by (l-r) NNPA Chair Denise Rolark Barnes, NAHP Vice President Martha Montoya, NNPA 2nd Vice Chair Francis Page, Jr., and Jose Suero of NAHP.

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from Target Market News

(TriceEdneyWire.com) The National Newspaper Publishers Association and the National Association of Hispanic Publishers have announced the formation of a National Advertising Task Force to educate marketers on the benefits and importance of the African American and Hispanic newspaper market. This is the first time the NNPA and NAHP have joined forces for such an effort.

The two organizations will be joined in the effort by Refuel Agency, a nationally recognized firm in youth, military and multicultural marketing and media placement.


The NNPA, the trade association of the more than 200 African American-owned community newspapers along with the NAHP, a non-partisan trade advocacy organization representing the nation's leading Spanish language publications, have a combined total reach of over 43 million readers per week.

The task force will be in charge of increasing awareness and advertising for member newspapers and will be meeting with major auto, financial and political advertisers in the coming months.

"With close to 97 million African Americans and Hispanics in the U.S. today, representing 33 percent of the total population, this consumer segment demands attention," said Martha Montoya, VP of the NAHP. "The buying power of the African American and Hispanic communities, currently at over $2.3 trillion combined, continues to outpace the national average."

"This historic media alliance is a gigantic step for our two organizations," said Dr. Benjamin Chavis, President and CEO of the NNPA. "We believe our working together has tremendous potential mutual benefits in today's marketplace."

"This task force also marks a historic partnership between the NNPA and NAHP, the nation's most influential publishing organizations that are currently led by women. Martha and I have a shared vision and commitment to empower our communities by strengthening the voices of the media we serve," said NNPA Chair Denise Rolark Barnes.

Refuel Agency will continue to assist both the NNPA and NAHP with print advertising duties. "We are thrilled to be a part of this initiative to bring one united voice to this very important mission. With African American and Hispanic populations continuing to surge, it is the perfect time to promote the importance of reaching these communities," said Derek White, President and CEO of Refuel Agency.

For more information, please contact Greg Anthony, EVP National Sales Manager at 805.690.7011 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.