To Lynch a Tiger?!

by Dave Zirin
January 15, 2008


After five days of dithering, the Golf Channel has finally suspended commentator Kelly Tilghman for two weeks for her on-air comment January 4, suggesting young players looking to break into the game should "lynch Tiger Woods in a back alley." At first Golf Channel officials blew off the controversy, saying that they had gotten very few complaints about Tilghman's appalling attempt to get a laugh.

Tilghman, celebrated as the first full-time female play-by-play commentator in the history of the PGA Tour, was slow to offer an apology. It took her a couple of days to say, finally, "On Friday during our golf broadcast, Nick Faldo and I were discussing Tiger's dominance in the golf world and I used some poorly chosen words. I have known Tiger for 12 years and I have apologized directly to him. I also apologize to our viewers who may have been offended by my comments."

Through a spokesman, Tiger Woods called Tilghman's gaffe "a non-issue." But it is an issue.

To state the obvious, there's nothing funny about lynching. It's even less funny to chuckle about lynching the most prominent athlete of color in a sport with an unparalleled history of racism. For Tilghman to be oblivious to this history should be grounds for dismissal. As a point of comparison, Major League Baseball was of course desegregated by Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. It took until 1975 for a black man, Lee Elder, to play that most esteemed of all golf tournaments, the Masters, held at Augusta, Georgia. Augusta itself finally started admitting black members in 1991.

Tilghman's comments carry even more resonance, no matter her intent.

There is something particularly cement-headed in talking of lynching in a climate where the noose has achieved a renaissance as alarming as it is tragic. That ultimate symbol of racist violence has found new life because of the case of the Jena Six--six African-American high school students who faced decades behind bars, last year, for their part in a school fight that followed the hanging of nooses in the courtyard of their high school. Their cases, and the subsequent demonstrations of support, have received so much news coverage, even the Golf Channel must have heard something about it. Since then, nooses have surfaced--at Columbia University and the University of Maryland; high schools in North and South Carolina; the Hempstead Police Department on Long Island; the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut; and elsewhere. They are reminders to those who want to build a new movement for civil rights to know their place.

No one is going to confuse Tiger Woods with Dr. Martin Luther King, despite his late father Earl's dreams that Woods would someday approach this status. Woods is proudly apolitical, content to let his bank account and green jackets do the talking. But often athletes acquire a symbolic importance that extends far beyond any political ideas they may express. Tiger's very success in the world of golf speaks to the dreams of millions of people: the dream that individual greatness can break down even the country club door; the dream that there is a place on the golf course to do more than carry clubs. I have a friend who is African-American who believes fiercely that the reason Tiger wears that red shirt and those black pants on Sunday is to reflect the palette of African nationalism. There is no more reason to believe this than to think Michael Jordan shaved his head in solidarity with the Dalai Lama, but sometimes the political power of representation trumps reality.

I'm not much of a Tiger Woods fan. He claims to be apolitical but won't hesitate to sign off on commercials that trumpet his multi-cultural heritage. Call it civil rights for sale by the pound. Call it twenty-first-century branding. But this is one day when we should all unabashedly say, "I am Tiger Woods."

Now, after trying to sweep Tilghman's gaffe under the carpet, the Golf Channel has finally been forced to act. "While we believe that Kelly's choice of words was inadvertent and that she did not intend them in an offensive manner, the words were hurtful and grossly inappropriate," the GC said in its statement. "Consequently, we have decided to suspend Kelly for two weeks, effective immediately."

This is a start. For Tilghman and her employer, with the microphone comes some measure of responsibility. We saw Don Imus chased off the air (if only for a few months) for his racially repellent remarks. I can only hope that during Tilghman's two-week vacation, someone gives her some serious history lessons on the unsightly underbelly of the sport she represents, not to mention a reality check about what's happening on the other side of the country club walls.

Note: If you want to contact the Golf Channel and register your views, go to http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=70000



(Dave Zirin is the author of the new book "Welcome to the Terrordome:" with an intro by Chuck D (Haymarket). You can receive his column Edge of Sports, every week by emailing dave@edgeofsports.com Contact him at edgeofsports@gmail.com )

Check Out Dave Zirin's Interview On SleptOn.Com

The Search For Bobby Fischer Over???

Chess Master Bobby Fischer Dies At 64

By GUDJON HELGASON, Associated Press Writer

Bobby Fischer, the reclusive chess genius who became a Cold War hero by dethroning the Soviet world champion in 1972 and later renounced his American citizenship, has died. He was 64.

Fisher died of kidney failure Thursday in a Reykjavik hospital after a long illness, his spokesman, Gardar Sverrisson, said Friday.

Born in Chicago and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Fischer faced criminal charges in the United States for playing a 1992 rematch against Boris Spassky in Yugoslavia in defiance of international sanctions. In 2005, he moved to Iceland, a chess-mad nation and site of his greatest triumph.

As a champion, he used his eccentricities to unsettle opponents, but Fischer's reputation as a genius of chess was soon eclipsed, in the eyes of many, by his idiosyncrasies.

"Chess is war on a board," he once said. "The object is to crush the other man's mind."

Fischer vanished after the 1992 match and occasionally re-emerged to give interviews on a radio station in the Philippines. During one interview, Fischer praised the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, saying America should be "wiped out," and described Jews as "thieving, lying bastards."

Garry Kasparov, the former world chess champion from Russia, said Fischer's ascent in the chess world in the 1960s and his promotion of chess worldwide was "a revolutionary breakthrough" for the game.

"The tragedy is that he left this world too early, and his extravagant life and scandalous statements did not contribute to the popularity of chess," Kasparov told The Associated Press.

Fischer lost his world title in 1975 after refusing to defend it against Anatoly Karpov. He dropped out of competitive chess and largely out of view, emerging occasionally to make erratic and often anti-Semitic comments, although his mother was Jewish.

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, president of the World Chess Federation, called Fischer "a phenomenon and an epoch in chess history, and an intellectual giant I would rank next to Newton and Einstein."

Spassky, reached briefly at his home in France, said of his friend and rival: "I am very sorry, but Bobby Fischer is dead. Goodbye."

An American chess champion at 14 and a grand master at 15, Fischer dethroned Spassky in 1972 in a series of games in Iceland's capital, Reykjavik, to become the first officially recognized world champion born in the United States.

The match, at the height of the Cold War, took on mythic dimensions as a clash between the world's two superpowers.

Fischer played — and won — an exhibition rematch against Spassky on the Yugoslav resort island of Sveti Stefan, but the game was in violation of U.S. sanctions imposed to punish then-President Slobodan Milosevic.

In July 2004, Fischer was arrested at Japan's Narita airport for traveling on a revoked U.S. passport and was threatened with extradition to the United States to face charges of violating sanctions.

He spent nine months in custody before the dispute was resolved when Iceland granted him citizenship and he moved there with his longtime companion, the Japanese chess player Miyoko Watai. She survives him.

In his final years, Fischer railed against the chess establishment, alleging that the outcomes of many top-level chess matches were decided in advance.

Instead, he championed his concept of random chess, in which pieces are shuffled at the beginning of each match in a bid to reinvigorate the game.

"I don't play the old chess," he told reporters when he arrived in Iceland in 2005. "But obviously if I did, I would be the best."

Born March 9, 1943, Robert James Fischer was a child prodigy, playing competitively from age 8.

At 13, he became the youngest player to win the United States Junior Championship. At 14, he won the United States Open Championship for the first of eight times.

At 15, he gained the title of international grand master, the youngest person to hold the title.

Tall, charismatic and with striking looks, he was a chess star — but already gaining a reputation for volatile behavior.

He turned up late for tournaments, walked out of matches, refused to play unless the lighting suited him and was intolerant of photographers and cartoonists. He was convinced of his own superiority and called the Soviets "Commie cheats."

His behavior often unsettled opponents — to Fischer's advantage.

This was seen most famously in the showdown with Spassky in Reykjavik between July and September 1972. Having agreed to play Spassky in Yugoslavia, Fischer raised one objection after another to the arrangements and they wound up playing in Iceland.

When play got under way, days late, Fischer lost the first game with an elementary blunder after discovering that television cameras he had reluctantly accepted were not unseen and unheard, but right behind the players' chairs.

He boycotted the second game and the referee awarded the point to Spassky, putting the Russian ahead 2-0.

But then Spassky agreed to Fischer's demand that the games be played in a back room away from cameras. Fischer went on to beat Spassky, 12.5 points to 8.5 points in 21 games.

Millions of Americans, gripped by the contest, rejoiced in the victory over their Cold War adversary.

In the recent book "White King and Red Queen," the British author Daniel Johnson said the match was "an abstract antagonism on an abstract battleground using abstract weapons ... yet their struggle embraced all human life."

"In Spassky's submission to his fate and Fischer's fierce exultant triumph, the Cold War's denouement was already foreshadowed."

The victory made Fischer the first U.S.-born world champion. Paul Morphy, an American, was regarded as the world's best player from 1858 to 1862, and William Steinetz, an Austrian immigrant to the United States, was an official champion from 1886 to 1894.

___

Associated Press Writer Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.

Democrat Waltz Comes To Tennessee...

Battle Brewing In Tennessee
http://www.tri-statedefenderonline.com/articlelive/articles/2548/1/Battle-brewing-in-Tennessee/Page1.html

Check Out Great New Jena 6 Article By Maroonsista...

"Jena 6 Updates: Mychal Bell Plea Bargains" By Maroonsista:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/548601/jena_6_update_and_mychal_bells_plea.html

More Jena 6 On W.E. A.L.L. B.E.:
http://weallbe.blogspot.com/search?q=jena+6

UNTIL THE JENA 6 ARE FREE NEITHER ARE WE!!!

Check Out Brotha's Keepa's Hurricane Katrina Tribute!!!

Brotha's Keepa Say:

Sometimes when the news stops covering events - we tend to forget about
the situation as if it's been resolved. So goes the same for our
Afrikan brothers and sisters who survived or were murdered during Hurricane
Katrina. Today - in 2008 - they are still struggling....and the world
has forgotten. We should never forget.

In memory and honor of those affected by "Hurricane Fema", Brotha's
Keepa and Powwah tha Poet wrote "Below Sea Level." Check it out:

Below Sea Level Part One


Below Sea Level Part Two

Visit The Following Websites For More Info On Brotha's Keepas:
http://www.brothaskeepa.com
http://www.myspace.com/jmalo
http://www.bolt.com/brothaskeepa

Slepton Mag Founders And Nu R & B Sensation Nyasha Fox On W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio Live Sun. 1/20/08 @ 4PM Central/5PM Eastern

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio

One Full Year On The Air!!!

January 2008 Theme
"We Are Resolute..."

Listen To The Actual Show Live Online At The Following Link:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe/2008/01/20/Tha-Artivist-PresentsWE-ALL-BE-Radio

Our Featured Guests Sunday January 20, 2008...

1.) SleptOn Magazine Founders Billy Buntin and Kevin Smith

What is SleptOn Mag?

SleptOn Mag is an independent socio-political online journal established to promote awareness, facilitate discussion, debate and organization by providing hard hitting, thought provoking and engaging news analysis and potent commentary on politics, entertainment and culture.

SletpOn Mag is a web based magazine for and representative of a broad cross-section of the politically adept interested in an alternative source of information which is often overlooked, marginalized or excluded from the narrow focus of the dominant corporate controlled "mainstream" media, sanitized and scripted political debate and commercialized entertainment industry outlets.

SleptOn Mag will seek to harness the energy and passion of the astute observer in the struggle for peace, justice, equality and solidarity while providing uncompromised commentary, analysis and entertainment that take on the current issues in a dynamic, compelling and critical way.

Welcome to the SleptOn community. Visit often, spread the word, get involved and organize. Join us and let's deliver a wake up call to the world, together.

Check Out SleptOn.com Video:

No Justice ... No Sleep!!!

Please visit http://www.slepton.com

2.) Nu R & B Sensation Nyasha Shani

Combine equal parts your grandmother’s heeding wisdom and mischievous charm. Add a cup of beauty and a dash of and sex appeal. The result is singer/songwriter Nyasha Shani (knee-asha sha-knee), a young woman poised to lead a new generation in the R&B/Soul genre.

“Music has always been my first love; but to be quite honest, I absolutely hated practicing!” she smirks in her East Coast-Midwest mélange accent. “Instead, I would spend countless hours listening to the radio, perfecting my ear, and turning every inch of my house into my own personal stage.”

Nyasha has spent the past five years perfecting her talents in composition, arranging, and performance. She has been seen performing in various shows throughout Connecticut and New York, including participation in the ASCAP Make Music New York series. In addition to her musical talents, Nyasha has spent years crafting her penmanship. Since writing her first pieces at the age of nine, she has written and arranged over 150 compositions and songs.

“When it comes to my writing, I draw inspiration from everything around me- the couple arguing about being pregnant again, a lover accepting the end of a relationship, or a woman who refuses to be tamed. Everything sparks an idea in my mind and the uniqueness of my craft lies in my perspective and word play. Can’t nobody tell a story like me.”

The preface of Nyasha Shani’s career has been written; however, her journey has only begun.

Check Out Nyasha Shani On MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/nyashathediva

****

Get Involved

As Always You Can Catch Tha Artivist Presents…W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio Live Every Sunday @ 4PM Central/5PM Eastern By Clicking On The Following Link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe

Please Be Our Invited Guest By Calling Us Live @ 646-652-4593 Or E-mailing Us Your Questions And Comments @ r2c2h2@gmail.com

As Always Please Spread The Good News!!!

~~~~~~

Check Out The 2007 R2C2H2 Winter Newsletter:
http://weallbe.blogspot.com/2007/11/2007-r2c2h2-winter-newsletter.html

~~~~~~

Check Out "The Empowerment Hour" Hosted By Bro. Kermit Eady Every Saturday @ 6 PM EST/ 5PM CST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/EadyAssociates

~~~~~~

Support Akeru Radio

http://www.akeruradio.com/

Influential Memphis Educator And Last Living Memphian To Have Played With Jazz Great Jimmie Lunceford Dies...

First Annual Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Award Honoree, Legendary Memphis Educator And Friend of Tha Artivist Ms. Katheryn Perry Thomas Makes Transition At 92 Years Young…

Katheryn Perry Thomas
1915-2008

Tha Artivist Writes:
Last Friday afternoon (Jan. 11, 2008) I learned that one of my newest friends I had met on my quest to restore the legacy of Jimmie Lunceford passed away…My good friend, the talented writer Preston Lauterbach, notified me of her passing by phone…Preston wrote the excellent article on Jimmie Lunceford for the Memphis Flyer back in the summer and Ms. Katheryn Perry Thomas was one of the stars interviewed…

I was a little surprised, but not too much...Ms. Katheryn Perry Thomas had been on my mind all that week and for the past several weeks for that matter…Something had been telling me to make that one last interview…We have tried on several occasions to make that happen, but something always came up…

Fortunately, I did have the pleasure of meeting Ms. Thomas in the flesh…I presented her with her Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Award at her home on Oct. 20, 2007, a sunny autumn Saturday afternoon…She was overjoyed that Jimmie was finally getting his due and I immediately knew we had a connection…

We talked for a little over four hours that afternoon…Topics of discussion ranged from Current Events, Education, Politics, History and of course Jimmie Lunceford…When she was a student at Manassas she would practice her classical piano while Jimmie rehearsed his high school band, the first of its kind in Memphis...She said Jimmie was always very encouraging of her musical pursuits…She also explained to me that she came from a very musically talented family and so she really took to what Lunceford was trying to do with the students…I do not doubt for one minute that Lunceford’s influence played a role in her becoming a classical piano teacher among other things…I gained so much insight and wisdom from this wonderful woman in those few hours…I believed when the great Duke Ellington wrote his famous “Sophisticated Lady” tune he had a woman like Ms. Katheryn Perry Thomas in mind…

She felt comfortable enough to show me pictures of her family…She was truly proud of her beautiful family and their strong roots…She also showed me pictures when she was a younger woman starting off in teaching…I was immediately entranced in her beautiful photos…She was very photogenic…She was truly a dime piece in every sense of the word...I told her unashamedly so that she had nice legs in her prime…She laughed a hearty and appreciative laugh and smiled…

But I must admit that Ms. Katheryn Perry Thomas was a true dime piece in every way not only physically in her youth but also spiritually, emotionally and intellectually as a true elder...A true Renaissance Woman of the highest order yet with the common touch of a true humanitarian, something that is earned and gained after having patience with others for a 50 year teaching career and nearly a century of living…Courtesy, wit, passion and love were her weapons of choice and persuasion…She has left an impression on me that I will never forget for as long as I live…

Fortunately I did record Ms. Thomas on several occasions when I was researching Lunceford for the 1st Annual Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival http://www.jimmieluncefordjam.blogspot.com …Her interviews will be used in the forthcoming Jimmie Lunceford Documentary…

The actual interviews are online and can be accessed by clicking on the following links:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe/2007/08/26/tha-artivist-presentswe-all-be-radio

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe/blog/2007/10/21/tha-artivist-presentswe-all-be-radio

Read Preston Lauterbach's Tribute To Ms. Katheryn Perry Thomas In The Memphis Flyer:
http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A38007

The following is a bio on Ms. Katheryn Perry Thomas that was included in her funeral program:

Eloise Katheryn Perry Thomas was born Jan. 19, 1915, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Andrew Jackson Perry, Sr., and LuRena Drain Perry.

Katheryn attended Memphis public schools and took piano lessons at a very early age. She graduated from Manassas High School and attended LeMoyne Owen College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English. After college she taught in the elementary schools of northwest Mississippi and Memphis. Later, she returned to Manassas High School, where she taught Spanish and English for more than 42 years. She was deeply committed to Manassas students and the neighboring community that saw her as a model of virtue and leadership, Katheryn’s impact upon students is perhaps best expressed by Manassas students in the following tribute:

“The broad dimensions of her personal impact on the school and community have been fourfold. As a teacher, she has imparted knowledge and moral values. As a dreamer, she has espoused the highest ideals. As a devotee of the arts, she has spearheaded programs that have enhanced the cultural life of the Manassas community. And as a professional, she has evinced integrity and compassion. “Briefly stated, Mrs. Thomas is the epitome of a professional woman, who has ennobled the teaching profession and enriched many young lives. We believe she represents what John Keats had in mind when he wrote: ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever:/ Its loveliness increases; it will never/ Pass into nothingness.’”

Katheryn learned from her family the value of commitment and personal responsibility, and the importance of GOD, family and community. Many people from North Memphis and friends across the country like to recall Katheryn’s love for people and her devotion to the arts. She especially loved classical music and theater. She also enjoyed traveling to places such as Europe, the Middle East and South America. She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and was twice president of her local chapter. She received numerous awards and certificates for community service, including a Key to the City of Memphis.

As a young child, Katheryn became a member of Coleman Chapel CME Church, where she later served as pianist and Director of the Youth Programs. Much later in life she became a faithful member of Calvary Episcopal Church.

Preceded in death by two sisters: Castella Barber and Evelyn J. Perry; four brothers: Andrew Jackson Perry, Jr., Albert, Oliver and William Perry, Katheryn is survived by a brother, Donald C. Perry; a sister-in-law, Pearl H. Perry; a brother-in-law, Leo Barber, Sr.; two nephews: Leo Barber, Jr. and Kevin Perry; and numerous other relatives. To celebrate her long and remarkable life, she leaves three beloved nieces: Cleo Barber, Andrea and Angela Perry; two devoted friends and caregivers: Jennifer Franklin and Michael Christian, and numerous other friends.

Those who knew and loved Katheryn will always remember her hearty laughter and infectious smile.

"People Could Fly Project" Flying To Africa...

"I care deeply about the language I create for books. I call myself a wordkeeper, or a keeper of words. I enjoy words and looking at them on all sides . .Words are magnificent . . They form rhythms of living in meaningful prose. . It is the force of my desire, my wish to make myself understood, that powers these words."
-Virginia Hamilton

Dear Friends of the Project!

Exciting news! The People Could Fly Project is headed to Africa. The Project has been sponsored by the Africa Travel Association and next week we are traveling to the East African country of Djibouti to take part in the 11th Annual Eco and Cultural Tourism Symposium, being hosted by the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Recreation, and Tourism of Djibouti.

We will be traveling with the ATA's Young Professional Forum. The Project will be visiting with students at the University of Djibouti and sharing with school-age children the story of The People Could Fly by master children's book author Virginia Hamilton. Hamilton passed away in 2002 leaving a great legacy of multi-cultural children's literature. The Djibouti Government has graciously offered to sponsor our hotel accommodations, meals, and on-ground transportation.

Since we began The PCF Project last spring my sisters and I have worked to make the dream of documenting the dreams and stories of young people across the African Diaspora a reality. With a belief that anything can be accomplished we've taken our cameras, our hearts, hopes, and minds across the US, from our home in Memphis, TN to Philly, Washington, Jena LA, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, Inglewood, Detroit, Atlanta, Nashville, Connecticut, Detroit, North Carolina, and Mississippi. We've filmed, photographed, and interviewed young people of color and anyone and everyone in the making of a documentary about the power of our dreams.

You see, we know that the dreams of young folk and people of color are possible! We know that our stories are important, despite the dearth of in depth and positive images on the lives of young people of color. Our mission throughout has been to find and show these important images and stories within the faces, from the very voices and dreams of young people of color, to create images that speak of how powerful we are and can be.

...And now we are poised to take the grand flight to Africa.

And now we need your help! Our flight fees have largely been acquired. We know that we can raise the remaining funds for the journey. We are spending of ourselves,

our talents, and our gifts to meet the remaining funds. In exchange for your contributions, your gift will be acknowledged officially with a signed 5x7 photograph from Djibouti taken by Intisar Abioto and other memorabilia from the journey. Gifts of $50 and up will be acknowledged with a matted and signed 8x10 photograph from Djibouti.

Attached you will find the official invitation from the Africa Travel Association to The People Could Fly Project and a broader description of the Project.

Please forward to your network, asking your friends and family to contribute online at thepeoplecouldfly.blogspot.com

Footage, photos, and updates from Djibouti will be updated periodically on our blog where you can see more from The Project (The story of how this trip came to be is amazing! That's on the blog too. ) And read our recent interview with poet Nikki Giovanni in The Memphis Tri-State Defender!

We believe and pursue with veracity and belief... Anything and everything can happen.

In Flight and Faith

Intisar,
Kalimah,
Hanifah,
Amenta,
and Aisha Abioto
The People Could Fly Project

Consultant: Arnold Adoff
Poet, Author, Husband of Virginia Hamilton
arnoldadoff@hotmail.com

Project Description

The People Could Fly Project is a documentary arts project focusing on the dreams of young people across the African Diaspora. It follows the adventures of five sisters, ages of 7 to 21 as they travel across the US, Africa, and South America talking to young people about their dreams and visions for themselves and the world. Their work will culminate in a docu-narrative film about the journey.

As the daughters of an airline employee they've been able to fly many places, but felt it was imperative to share their experiences with others and to talk and engage with young people around the world about the power of their own dreams, their own abilities to make them reality, and thus their own ability to fly.

They have traveled to New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Jena, LA, Connecticut, Detroit, Virginia, Nashville, TN; Washington, DC; and Mississippi talking, filming, photographing, and interviewing people of all ages about their dreams and are on the way to many other places.

They were inspired by a folktale told in the Americas about Africans enslaved who sprout wings and fly away. The story is found in children's book author Virginia Hamilton's "The People Could Fly".

The online segment of our journey with photos, video clips, and writing can be found at
thepeoplecouldfly.blogspot.com

Thanks!

The Candidacy Of Barack Obama Represents ‘The Fierce Urgency Of Now’

Joseph Lowery

From the stage of a recent Barack Obama rally in Atlanta, estimated to be 30,000-strong, I witnessed a marvelous expression of a new attitude being born in the American psyche.

Witness the mosaic: young and old, black and white and brown; from all economic stations, “all fired up” over this extraordinary candidate. And I said, “Thank you Lord for allowing me to live long enough to experience this now.” It’s not just the force of the moment, but it is an idea whose time has come—“the fierce urgency of now.”

That’s what Barack Obama’s candidacy embodies: freedom now, not four years later or the next time around. Not only is Obama a breath of fresh air, his promise of hope is deliverance from the dynasties of an old guard that commands the current political landscape. Not only does he represent a break from the status quo, he generates an enthusiasm among young people—energy not witnessed my entire 86 years of life. Obama is the face of tomorrow today.

In a society where race defines so much, Barack Obama is not hampered by his blackness. In the overwhelmingly white Iowa Democratic Caucus, which gave him a sweeping victory, an unshackling played out in the same way the burden of race was lifted, and the people of Massachusetts (black people make up only six percent of the electorate) chose Deval Patrick—a black man—as governor.

Can we celebrate, finally, that the white electorate is taking a cue from the African American community by voting for a candidate with little to no regard of his or her race? Are the voters in a state that is 95 percent white affirming to the nation—but especially to the African American community—that indeed a black man can win?

As the Democratic primaries move to the southeastern states—South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee and Louisiana—where black voting strength is considerable, that message has particular relevance.

I am certainly not advocating an appeal to racial politics, although I will admit to a deep level of pride. My caution is don’t embrace this soaring political star simply because he’s black but because he’s deserving.

To know Obama is to celebrate the American success story that we have always yearned to live.

Abandoned by his father and raised by grandparents, he studied hard and believed in his intellect. His achievements are celebratory: Columbia under grad, Harvard Law, first black president of the Harvard Law Review, civil rights attorney, Illinois state senator, and the United States Senate—the third African American since Reconstruction to hold that seat.

He has not climbed to the pinnacle of achievement without hard work and personal sacrifice. As a community organizer he passed up lucrative offers to be a corporate lawyer to labor in the trenches. It was only his arrival on the national scene and his best selling book that allowed him and his wife Michelle to pay off law school loans.

Supporting Barack Obama is not just voting for a black man. It is a statement for change. It is an act of courage.

In the early days of the civil rights struggle, so many people hung on the sidelines even though they believed in the correctness of our cause. They were shackled by their own fear, although not without reason. The threat of physical harm was real. We were challenging the status quo and our opponents were vicious in their grasp on an old order. But we pushed forward, relegating our fears to the background in pursuit of liberty. We had to trust in the Higher Power that had inspired those aspirations in the first place.

Certainly the waging of our vote in the presidential primaries won’t be challenged with fire hoses and dogs. Though, I sense a subtle and uneasy fear in our community, more insidious, cloaked and unspoken. The fear of change, of the new and of potential peril can only be resolved by embracing the possibilities on the other side.

To recall the words of James R. Lowell, “Then to side with truth is noble, when we shared her wretched crust, Ere her cause bring fame and profit and tis prosperous to be just; Then it is the brave man chooses while the coward stands aside, Till the multitude make virtue of the faith they had denied.”

We are on the brink of touching a collective dream, fleeting and possible. Let us make it real as we celebrate the future today.

(Reverend Joseph Lowery is co-founder and President Emeritus of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Atlanta, Ga.)

Wrongfully Imprisoned Man Wants Fair Financial And Medical Compensation...

Clark McMillan
Man Cleared By DNA Says: New Deal, Please!

http://tri-statedefenderonline.com/articlelive/articles/2593/1/Man-cleared-by-DNA-says-New-Deal-please/Page1.html

Cynthia McKinney On Benazir Bhutto...

12-28-07

Two Of The Most Dynamic Women Leaders In Recent Memory: Benazir Bhutto (left) and Cynthia McKinney

NO US TROOPS IN PAKISTAN:
Pakistan for the Pakistani People

"Free and fair elections, not U.S. troops, are the best strategy for achieving peace and stability in Pakistan."

Today, Cynthia McKinney, six-term former Member of Congress and current Green Party Presidential Candidate, announced her shock and disappointment at yesterday's assassination of former President and current Presidential candidate Benazir Bhutto. "I have long had close ties to the people of Pakistan; I traveled there twice, count many Pakistani-Americans among my personal friends, and I had the good fortune to meet Benazir Bhutto. I refused to meet Musharaff when I had the chance because he was always a dictator and I don't meet dictators," McKinney said.

Shortly after Bhutto's murder, reports began to surface that the U.S. had finalized plans to send troops to Pakistan. According to McKinney, "There is much that the United States can send to Pakistan, like helping with true democracy instead of rigged elections. The last thing U.S. troops and the Pakistani people need is the presence of U.S. troops in Pakistan."

During McKinney's most recent trip to Pakistan earlier this year, she traveled to a Karachi suburb where she met for the second time with the Balochi people of African descent who were among Bhutto's strongest supporters in the country.

"This is a sad time--especially for all the strong women in the world, for all the poor and desperate people of Pakistan who need and deserve attention and hope, and for all peace-loving people everywhere who hope that this tragedy is not used as a pretext for more war, more chaos, more destabilization of yet another basically peace-loving people," McKinney said.

According to McKinney, the real key to stability in Pakistan begins with free and fair elections using internationally recognized election observers in order to achieve a Pakistani government that reflects the will and dreams of the Pakistani people.

McKinney concluded with a caution that the United States should not view chaos in Pakistan, in the aftermath of Bhutto's murder, as a reason for becoming engaged in more war or for putting our troops into harm's way. "War is not an acceptable strategy to achieve democracy--not in Iraq, and not in Pakistan. Free and fair elections, not U.S. troops, are the best strategy for achieving peace and stability in Pakistan," McKinney concluded.

"I send my most heartfelt condolences to the Bhutto family and to all the people of Pakistan," said McKinney.

To learn more about Cynthia McKinney and her Presidential campaign please go to the following websites: http://www.runcynthiarun.org/ and http://www.allthingscynthiamckinney.com

More Cynthia McKinney on W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio And News:
http://weallbe.blogspot.com/2008/01/we-all-be-radio-and-news-special.html

Check Out Cynthia McKinney On The Jan. 13, 2008 Edition of W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio (Her Interview Is In The 2nd Full Hour Of Show Segment):
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe/2008/01/13/Tha-Artivist-PresentsWE-ALL-BE-Radio

Outraged Negro Is Back…Hillary Is Not A Substitute The People Must Prevail for Truth…

Like many a Negro in this land of sour milk and grapes I was held spellbound for a moment last week looking at Barack The Dream performing his Jump Blues Rhapsody for the masses after his Iowa Caucus win…Has White Amerikkka finally come to its senses??? Or have they lost their common sense??? After decimating the planet for centuries is it finally now the Black Man’s turn???

“Why now???” is the question any sensible Negro would ask…It’s like Morgan Freeman being the Black President in the movie Deep Impact when the world is about to end…Sure they will let a Black man be President when the world is about to come to end because that means that Hell or Hades depending on your cultural preference or bias would have already frozen over with the proper permafrost…

But as always White Amerikkka did not let me enjoy my sleep in peace for long…This week proves to me that a Black person’s hell is a White man’s heaven as they say…White Amerikkka almost had us fooled…Lulling us to sleep to dream tales of fantasy or as Slick Willie would say “fairy tales” only to have us awakened once again to confirm the nightmare of our collective reality…

Ain’t nothing like a White woman crying from being terrorized by a Black Brute representing the opportune time for White Amerikkka to defend her valor and regain their hold over the uppity darkeys on the plantation…D.W. Griffith understand that for A Birth of Nation to become a reality sacrifices had to be made and darkeys lynched…

Barack went from Joe Louis to Jack Johnson in a matter of tv seconds…He went from Dr. King circa 1963 to Farrakhan circa 1995…He went from Mighty Joe Young to King Kong…

What in the hell am I talking about you may ask and what are all these damn obscure historical and pop culture references you are alluding to you may ask again…My suggestion is stop being so damn lazy and read up on your Amerikkkan History…At least watch the Tabloid I mean History Channel to learn more about Amerikkkan Fairy Tales…

Barack is the Spook That Sat By The Door and The Invisible Man all roll into one…He is the moderate blend of Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X with a little touch of Bryant Gumbel to make him safe for mainstream Amerikkkan consumption…He is the summation of the entire Black Struggle in the African Diaspora so he is a pinch of DuBois with a dash of Garvey and Kenyatta on the side with Lumumba for desert…

BARACK IS THE AMERIKKKAN ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET WHERE EVERYBODY CAN GET A TASTE OF WHAT THEY LIKE AS WELL AS WHAT THEY DON’T LIKE…

Is this making sense to you??? Probably not…

Is there a problem with me??? Probably not…

Is there a problem with you…That’s something you have to figure out on your time…

Yours truly even if you think Barack Obama’s Candidacy Exists Only In The World Of Make Believe…

The Outraged Negro
copyright by r2c2h2

*Important: The views of the The Outraged Negro doesn't represent the views of all those affiliated with W.E. A.L.L. B.E.*

*To reach The Outraged Negro please e-mail him at outragedandnegro@gmail.com or leave a comment on this post…Thanks*

Artist Uses New Orleans Post-Katrina As A Muse And Canvas For Change...

Wendell Pierce, left, and J. Kyle Manzay rehearsing Paul Chan’s production of “Waiting for Godot,” set in the badly damaged Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans.

Paul Chan Is An Artivist After My Own Heart:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/arts/design/02cott.html?ex=1197262800&en=dade16671514f86b&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Meet The Neelys, The First Family Of Memphis Barbeque Gets Their Own Food Network Show...

Photos by Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

A surprised Patrick Neely watches as his wife, Gina, goofs around with collard greens while taping an episode of "Down Home with the Neelys." Family banter and Gina's take-charge attitude were strong selling points for the series.

Barbecue Family Dishes Out Brand Of Memphis Sauce For Food Network
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jan/09/down-home-stars/

Wow!!! A Black Man Who Wasn't Lynched For Killing A White Man And Was Acquitted By All Male And All White Jury In 1919 Mississippi...

Photo courtesy of family members

Ben and Ruth Ingram in a 1920 photo with daughter Ruth. Ingram is thought to be the first black man in the South acquitted by an all-white jury of killing a white person.

Black Landowner's 1919 Acquittal In White Man's Killing Shed A 'Different Light' On The South

By Michael Lollar
Memphis Commercial Appeal

Thursday, January 10, 2008

The front-page headline in a 1919 edition of The Commercial Appeal told of what was believed to be a first in the South: "Negro Kills White Man; Is Acquitted."

It was a verdict delivered by an all-male, all-white jury that made headlines as far away as Chicago in an era when white vigilantes were staging 50 to 100 lynchings a year in the South.

When black planter Ben Ingram killed white neighbor Green Brumley, 500 friends, black and white, built a bonfire on Ingram's land and stayed the night to protect him and his family in Byhalia, Miss. The trial was held three months later in nearby Holly Springs, Miss., with Ingram freed as a rare symbol of tolerance and justice in a part of the world where "justice" often came without a trial in the form of a noose.

Ingram would sleep with a pistol under his pillow for the rest of his life. Some believe his story partly inspired William Faulkner's novel "Intruder in the Dust," released almost 30 years later. Faulkner's novel became a Hollywood movie, and almost 60 years since its release, Ingram's family is on a mission to return to the source with a nonfiction account in the form of a documentary, a book, a feature film and an opera.

It is a story that Ingram's descendants hope might have the impact of "To Kill A Mockingbird" in the 1960s. In that story, an innocent black man died. In Ingram's story, good triumphed over evil.

"If they hadn't been good people, my dad would have been hung," says Alfreda Ingram Moore, who celebrated her 81st birthday Wednesday at the Village of Germantown, a retirement community where she has been recuperating from a broken ankle. Moore, the only surviving child of Ben Ingram, has lived in Memphis since 1998. She is touring her old home in Byhalia today before moving to Denver, where she once lived. When she returns, she says, "It will be in a box."

Like most of the family, Moore plans to be buried in the family cemetery in Byhalia.

Her daughter, Schyleen Qualls, is spearheading the book and movie project, researching the 1918 shooting incident, which the newspaper described as a "duel." Dorothy Darr, the wife of one of Qualls' cousins, is focusing on a documentary film as a first step in letting the world in on a side of the South seldom acknowledged.

The women first learned of the incident through family lore. Qualls, of San Francisco, has been researching the story for 35 years with her mother's help. Darr, of Santa Barbara, Calif., began interviewing Ben Ingram's relatives in 1996 when all but one of his 17 children were still alive. Her husband, Memphis-born jazz musician Charles Lloyd, had spent summers on the farm with Ingram, his grandfather.

Ingram's story inspired Lloyd's opera-in-progress that combines the field music of the era with his love for Ingram as a heroic figure and for the people who protected him in 1918.

"I'm very touched by the respect and humanity that lives in the hearts of all. It's a beautiful thing," says Lloyd.

The 1919 newspaper article said testimony at trial showed Ingram and Brumley had a "discussion" over the boundary between their large farms. The names are familiar in Marshall County, where two of the first roads that drivers encounter in Byhalia are named after the two wealthy landowners.

To resolve their boundary dispute, Ingram hired a surveyor. Qualls says Brumley had slowly and systematically encroached on Ingram's 1,000-acre farm, planting crops on a little more of it each year and building a barn and other out-buildings on Ingram's land as if it were his own.

The newspaper story said when Brumley learned that Ingram had hired a surveyor he "became enraged at the action the Negro had taken, and, according to testimony, had threatened the life of the Negro." Brumley followed Ingram into town, making clear to townspeople that he was out to kill Ingram.

A white businessman hid Ingram to help avoid a confrontation, but Brumley later showed up, armed with a pistol, at Ingram's farm. Brumley fired and missed, while Ingram defended himself with a shotgun. "Some of the shots took effect in Brumley's body," according to the 1919 newspaper story. When Brumley reloaded and tried to shoot again, Ingram grabbed the pistol and struck Brumley on the head with it. "Brumley sank to the ground after he and Ingram had clashed to rise no more," the story said.

Moore, who was born nine years after the shooting, says she learned about it through family members and through her father's memories. But she knew her father mainly as a gifted businessman with a sense of when to buy and sell. His farm made the family virtually self-sufficient and turned him into one of the wealthiest men in the region. "He was never subservient to anybody," she says.

Moore says her father sent her and the other children to boarding schools, and she was unaware of whites-only water fountains and that some black people were forced to enter only through the back doors of buildings. "He bought a brand new Ford every year," she says. When they drove it to Memphis, they used the car and did not have to use buses. She did not know the buses were segregated, nor the public restrooms.

In her hometown, Moore says her father was respected by everyone and treated well, while the town realized their neighbor was a thief and bully. When the dispute ended in death, the town "was open enough to open their minds and hearts. So it puts a different light on the South and Mississippi in history."

Qualls says the verdict and the town's willingness to protect Ingram did not mean there were no prejudices in Byhalia or North Mississippi. "This will not be a Pollyanna story. But what it means is that when push came to shove, they did the right thing."

Darr says she and Lloyd have talked to Oprah Winfrey and to a longtime producer for late movie director Robert Altman about support for the project. The first priority is the documentary, which will include Alfreda Moore's final visit today to the family farm in Byhalia. Of her father's 1,000 acres, 700 remain in the hands of Ingram's descendants.

The documentary will be followed by the book then a movie, says Darr.

Qualls, who owns 80 of the remaining 700 acres of family land, says she hopes to use any proceeds from book or movie sales to build an academy for the arts on her grandfather's land.

Darr says her husband's opera will be like staging an epic duel between good and evil. It builds to the tragedy of death, the threat of harm to an innocent family and the verdict that, for Hollywood, would be the reward of a happy ending.

-- Michael Lollar: 529-2793

Letter To A Young Activist During Troubled Times...

Tha Artivist says:
Dr. Estes did a beautiful job in articulating and writing what we all need to internalize and practice:
KEEP HOPE ALIVE!!!


http://www.mavenproductions.com/estes.html

Outraged Negro Says Don’t Trust The Clintons…

Take A Pause For The Cause Fam, Friends, Enemies And Haters,

Last week's debacle I mean debate @ Howard U. proves My Point http://weallbe.blogspot.com/2007/06/must-black-voters-always-be-pawns.html…Just Because Bill Clinton Smoked Weed And Played Saxophone Doesn’t Makes Him Black Anymore Than It Makes Him Louis Armstrong Or Lester Young For That Matter!!! Bill Clinton ain’t and never will be a “Black President” (I hope Toni Morrison was seriously misquoted BUT I doubt it…)…He definitely wouldn’t be considered the first if he was (Why Not Pres. Lincoln, Pres. Grant, Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson, or Pres. Warren G. Harding Anyone???)...

If he was the first Black President then he should be considered a self hating one because he has committed numerous Black On Black crimes according to his track record…He has put more Black folks in jail behind his crack-coke policy decision than any President in U.S. history…BY THE WAY WHITES CONSUME WAY MORE DRUGS THAN BLACK FOLK IN THIS COUNTRY…Think About It The Media And The Powers That Be Never Recognize That We Have A Problem Until White Folks Are Adversely Affected…There wasn’t a war on drugs until White kids from the suburbs were getting high and overdosing while turning tricks on the weekends at shopping malls to get more money to get even higher and I'm not talking about education…Black Folks Been In The Great Depression Way Before The 1930s As Well As In the War On Terror Way Before 9-11...Billy Clint failed to act on the Rwandan massacre which killed and affected millions… In the mid-1990s his administration even went as far as to not utter the word “genocide” for fear of accountability and responsibility to squash it (he didn’t have such qualms when it involved helping Eastern Europe with their Bosnia-Milosevic-Genocide problem)…He also proved to not have the stomach for bloodshed when it came to following through on a military operation in a place called Somalia which has been revealed through the years to be a strong hold for Osama Bin Laden and his terror cronies (some sources say that even future U.S. President Gen. Grant couldn’t stand the sight of blood but was able to command his military force and win the American Civil War for the Union which “freed” Black people)…

And How The Hell Is Wifey Going To Take An African Proverb “It Takes A Village” And Turn It Into A Title For A Best Selling Book, Make Hella Money And Yet Not Help Mother Africa In Her Darkest Hours??? She Is No Better In My Mind Than The Countless Other Bible Thumping Manifest Destiny Minded Slave Catching Whites That Have Been Exploiting Africa For Personal Gains For Many Centuries And Counting…When I Hear And Read About Black Folks Especially Those Educated Fool Negroes In The Boss Man's House Giving Hillary Praises For Plagiarizing A Phrase That's Been Around For Ages Is Purely Blasphemous!!! It's Like Hearing Jay Z Getting Credit For Saying A Clever Verse That The NOTORIOUS B.I.G. Said First Or That Elvis Invented Rock And Roll!!! It Proves To Me That Jim Crow Is Alive And Well In The Many Souls Of Black "Ignant-Azz" Folk!!!

Bill Clinton is responsible for signing the NAFTA agreement which basically outsourced all the non-skilled and labor jobs traditionally vital to the life of the U.S. Economy to places like India and which forces illegal immigrants to work for non-living wages something that Black Folks refuse to do now considering that we have been doing that for 400 plus years FOR FREE…

Not to mention that the Clinton Administration has basically got away with murder in the death of silence surrounding the Ron Brown death mystery which to me is on the same level of Biggie’s and Tupac’s as far as the powers that be’s lack of initiative and wantonness to get to the truth of the matter …What makes it even worse behind this conspiracy is the fact that Ron Brown never had an autopsy to confirm how he actually died (at least we have photos of a cut up 2pac on a coroner’s slab and people were present at the shooting deaths of both Pac and Big to confirm their causes of death if not the suspects or motives behind them)…

And for people so sold on Bill Clinton’s charm and affability you must remember that he is the son of a used car salesman and that he grew up in the Hot Springs area of Arkansas, a hot bed and vacation spot for some of the most notorious criminals and gangsters in the U.S. during his youth…As a matter of fact the place was “unofficially” officially ran by infamous NY gangster Owney “The Killer” Madden who at one point owned and ran the world famous Cotton Club in Harlem…They Called Him The Killer Up In New York City For His Murderous Tendencies And Political Clout With The Powerful Democratic Machine @ Tammany Hall And The Mayor Down In Hot Springs For His Murderous Tendencies And Political Clout With The Arkansas Democratic Machine…And Bill Clinton Is A…Take A Guess...So All His Life Bill Clinton Has Been Trained In The Art Of The Backroom Deal, The Double Cross And The Frame Up…An Apprentice Who Became A Master Politrickan Used To Telling People What They Want To Hear To Get What He Wanted…The fact that they did a spoof of The Sopranos Series Finale For Wifey’s Campaign Ad exposes in a satirical way Billy Clint’s connection to the world of Organized Crime…And Let Me Say That They Definitely Have The Body Count To Match…No Pauly Walnuts…

I Am Not Surprised That Many Of You Will Question My Claims About Slick Willy And His Ways But As Malcolm X Said The Truth Is On The Side Of The Oppressed…So Really All I Want You All To Do Is To Check It Out For Yourselves And Like Lamar Burton A.K.A. Kunta Kintae Said For So Many Years On The Popular The Reading Rainbow T.V. Program “And Don’t Just Take My Word For It”…
Happy Fourth Of You Lied Everybody!!!

Yours Truly Even If You Think Being 3/5ths Human Guarantees You The Right To Vote...

The Outraged Negro
copyright by r2c2h2

*Important: The views of the The Outraged Negro doesn't represent the views of all those affliated with W.E. A.L.L. B.E.*

*To reach The Outraged Negro please e-mail him at outragedandnegro@gmail.com or leave a comment on this post…Thanks*

Tha Artivist Pays Tribute To Robert J. Crawford, One of Memphis,Tn's First Black Firefighters...

For more information on the extraordinary life of Robert J. Crawford please read and buy Black Fire: A Portrait of a Black Firefighter by Delores and Robert Crawford at http://www.historypress.net/catalogWritingsof.php

Listen To The Robert Crawford Tribute At W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio News And Radio:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe/blog/2008/01/06/Tha-Artivist-PresentsWE-ALL-BE-Radio

Memphis Pays Tribute To True Memphis Pioneer

Robert Crawford’s Life Is Celebrated In A Homecoming Befitting A True Hero And Memphis Original…

In September, the Crawfords were vacationing in Greece…They were following in the footsteps of St. Paul the Apostle stopping every so often to say mass for their recently deceased daughter, Cassandra, when Robert took ill…That’s when they found out he had terminal lung, kidney, and liver cancer as well as brain tumors…

Mr. Crawford truly lived and walked in his faith and he has a living legacy to prove it…

Robert Crawford Was A Man Of Many Talents….His was a life full of firsts as well as extreme highs and lows…A true Renaissance man and humanitarian, Robert Crawford used all of his talents to not only better himself, but to better the lives of many in the Memphis Community…

In a lot of ways Robert Crawford was a true Black Superhero of epic proportions…Robert Crawford possessed many of the qualities of some the greatest African American male leaders that ever lived:

He was Jackie Robinson for his efforts in integrating the Memphis Fire Department in the mid 1950s as part of “The Original 12” a group of Black firefighters who dared to dream and defy the status quo…

He was Benjamin Banneker for his uncanny ability to memorize blueprints and build and restore houses, something by the way he picked up by observing others and asking the right questions…

He was A. Phillip Randolph for his ability to agitate and organize within the system into making equality a staple in the workplace for all…

He was George Washington Carver for his immense intellectual curiosity and his ability to innovate in areas where others only saw limitations and drawbacks…

He was Robert Church Sr. for his excellence in entrepreneurship and business acumen and for loving Memphis unconditionally…

He was Whitney Young for his statesman like ability in articulating the needs of his fellow firefighters of color to the powers that be…

He was Dr. King for he also had a dream and a vision for his people and his weapons of choice were nonviolence and unconditional love…

He was in essence a shining Black Prince and Black manhood in the flesh…

But Mr. Crawford was also truly human… He was a role model that was truly accessible and down to earth…He was an avid churchgoer, philanthropist and true humanitarian…

However, his most crowning achievement was that of family man playing the role of husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and son with such passion, precision and devotion that if he was an actor it would be Oscar caliber...

Crawford’s first cousin and legendary Memphis music educator Emerson Able said that Crawford was a person that he admired and who “had many talents”…Able also went on to say that Crawford “did tremendous things for the Black community…He made major financial contributions to his church…He helped a lot of people”

Many people thought highly of and benefited immensely from Robert’s extraordinary ability to serve others… Charles Settles a neighbor and admirer said Crawford was “a true pillar in the community”…He also noted that Crawford served as treasurer of Lions Gate Homeowners’ Association where he “offered people sound advice on financial matters and also rendered many other services to the neighborhood without even seeking recognition or compensation, he will sorely be missed”…Another Crawford relative Memphis Police woman Tonya Able further added “he was truly dedicated to the cause to see African Americans and people in general treated fairly”

Mr. Crawford’s exceptional public service record, character and business savvy also made him an important political power broker albeit a quiet, behind the scenes one…Career politician, fellow public servant and close friend John Ford stated that “Mr. Crawford was a personal friend of the entire Ford family…He was an excellent businessmen and one of the best public servants we ever had…”

It is evident by the high number of people of color as well as women in positions of high rank at the Memphis Fire Department that his status as a pioneer was well earned and deserved…Robert Crawford also has a fire engine named in his honor (The Robert J. Crawford Sr. No. 19 Fire Engine) for the invaluable example and service he provided the greater Memphis community for 30 plus years…Mayor A.C. Wharton stated that Crawford was “a pioneer in every way of the word, he was not a selfish pioneer because every door he opened he made sure to leave it open”…Lt. Ralph Collier of the Memphis Fire Department echoed Mayor Wharton’s sentiments by stating that Crawford “was a man of ubiquitous taste…If it hadn’t been for him a lot of people wouldn’t be here”…

Tn State Rep. Barbara Cooper’s late husband John Cooper was also a member of “The Original 12” with Robert Crawford…Whereas her husband was vocal and more demonstrative, Robert Crawford was “kind, conservative and respected authority”…She also noted Crawford’s diplomatic nature for “he had a soft hand in handling problems and never wanted to upset anybody”…She feels that Memphis youths should be better made aware of the sacrifices made and triumphs won by the members of “The Original 12”…”It’s our history, those are the shoulders we stand on and they opened the doors for our young people…”

Making history was not easy and came at a price for Robert Crawford and the rest of his comrades of ‘The Original 12”...You can say that they were in many ways treated like the famed World War Two all Black fighter plane squadron The Tuskegee Airmen for comparison…Although fire fighters live a very Spartan life, the racism endured by “The Original 12” could be counted as excessive baggage…They had to sleep in the ‘black bed’ at the fire house and job security was constantly in jeopardy…The men had families to support which made their historic roles and ‘speaking out’ all the more precarious…

Although they would routinely pass their officers’ exams for promotion they would constantly be denied their rightful promotion on the basis of race…Eventually according to State Rep. Cooper, Carl W. Stott’s (one of “The Original 12”) father loaned the pioneers the money to secure proper legal representation which eventually led to a victory in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court Case (Memphis Fire Department v. Carl W. Stotts)

Some Black firefighters thought that Robert was too quiet and did not do enough…However, Delores said that Crawford did things in his own quiet way…”He would call them (Black firefighters) at night and tried to warn the Black firefighters, he was up there in the meetings and he knew the things they were planning against the Black firefighters”…

Robert Crawford set high standards of excellence for himself and others…Antoinette Crawford-Willis stated that her father was “very linear, he had a vision and a very particular and direct way of doing things, he didn’t give you anything, you had to work for it”…

”He was a perfectionist and very well prepared, detailed, a true disciple” noted Father Geaney, Crawford’s pastor at St. Augustine…Father Geaney also said that “people commended Robert for the work he did”…He also mentioned that people’s talents and abilities can be taken for granted by those closest to them and who they also serve...”Sometimes you are too close to the people to notice the great things they have done”

Father Geaney also spoke of Robert Crawford’s passion and unlimited support for St. Augustine Catholic Church…He not only gave financially, but also he helped to build the church as well and personally oversaw all of the construction…According to Robert’s wife Delores Crawford ”he was on the building committee at the diocese”…She also said with pride that “nobody taught Robert how to build a house, he had the eye to look and see how things were done”…Father Geaney agreed that Robert “was a builder who knew the difference between a tent and a house”…

In a day and age where some married couples don’t last 57 days or seconds, Delores and Robert Crawford found a way to keep the magic going for 57 years…”We first met through a mutual friend, we were both going to Catholic schools at the time,” Delores recalled…They both attended school dances on a regular basis…”We hunged out together, played records, and danced”…

She admits that it wasn’t exactly love at first sight…”When we first gotten to know each other and started dating I didn’t like him and he didn’t like me either…I remembered I was on skates and he had this raggedy car…The car was making so much noise coming up the street…I fell, he saw me and start laughing, it made me angry…We were friends at first and it just grew”…

“My husband was a visionary who always told me he could see farther than me, he could see what needed to be done”…The couple decided to chronicle Robert Crawford’s incredible life story in an autobiographical book entitled Black Fire: A Portrait Of A Black Firefighter…”We wrote it for our children because they needed to know this…Our friends say we needed to get it published because this story needs to be told and available to the community”…


Robert Crawford was a true believer in the benefits of a sound education and he encouraged his wife who dropped out of high school to go back…After she received her high school degree he encouraged her to get one or two years of college…”I went back to school and got my master’s degree”…She became a social worker and worked in the department of human services…

She feels that communication is the key to every successful relationship and marriage…Even when times were rough with both Robert and Delores working in hostile environs, they still were able to find solace in each other and encourage each other to greater heights of success…“We could talk about what was happening and he would get really angry…I told him don’t let those people change you…He told me don’t doubt yourself you are as good as or better than a lot of folks you work with”…

However, sometimes the pressure would be too much and Robert would find other ways to vent his frustrations according to Crawford’s daughter Antoinette Crawford-Willis…”One day Daddy was cutting the grass and the lawnmower stopped working, he took it apart and began throwing pieces all of over the yard and we were like what was he doing…He tore it up because he was angry about something at work and he couldn’t retaliate, but he never took it out on us”…

Robert Crawford had a strong willed nature and pioneer mentality from an early age…He believed in the Catholic faith so strongly that he was willing to go against the wishes of his family who were Baptists and wanted him to be as well…Delores further elaborates:

“His father was a Baptist minister…His father’s and mother’s thing was if he say no (to the Baptist faith) he might not go to church at all…Robert’s grandmother who was the true decision maker in the family ruled in Robert’s favor…Just let him go on as long as he believe in Jesus Christ was his grandmother’s answer”…

According to Antoinette her father possessed a “very, very dry sense of humor”…”He would say something funny and he wouldn’t laugh or have any facial expression, but it would put something on your mind you had to think about”…

Although Robert Crawford was known for his dry sense of humor “he was very serious when it came to the fire department” according to Delores…Dolores said that “Robert was outspoken when he knew he was right”…Father Geaney echoed her sentiments… “Robert knew what it was like to live and fight for justice, he lived his life with the faith that justice will always prevail…”

Robert Crawford was a man who truly judged people by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin said Delores…”He just didn’t help Blacks he helped some Whites too…He made the job not only for Blacks but also for Whites…Some of the White guys of higher ranks would get mad at the White guys in lower ranks…They would not get promoted because they respected Robert, but Robert made sure they got promoted”…

According to Delores and several others, Robert had an intellectual capacity that was astonishing…“He was good at just about anything he touched…At his age a lot of people wouldn’t try to understand the computer…He would take everything apart to understand it”…

His intellectual curiosity “intimidated people” because he was a “very observant person” and would stand over people and watch them while they worked…Robert Crawford treated the world at large as his all purpose university…Although he was a “gentle giant and true gentleman”, he was nevertheless physically imposing which made people regardless of his true intentions nervous…

On Christmas Eve Robert Crawford made his transition…According to Father Geaney, Robert died the way he lived, “he had a beautiful death, he was at home surrounded by family”…

Delores Crawford feels so blessed to have had such a great traveling companion on her life’s journey…”Robert has made me so happy for all my life, we had a wonderful life together…He made my life so beautiful, so many beautiful memories…Who can ask for anything more…”

(Ron Herd II also known as R2C2H2 Tha Artivist hosts the internet radio show “Tha Artivist Presents...W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio” at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe . His Website is http://www.weallbe.blogspot.com... He is also the author of James Reese Europe: Jazz Lieutenant http://www.jazzlieutenant.blogspot.com)

You Are Still A Winner Sis. Louise Linzy!!!

Jannie Mae Linzy (left) said her daughter worked hard to capture the judgeship. “The election is over. And we are just thankful for everyone’s hard work and support,” she said. (Photo by Andrew “Rome” Withers)

Election Letdown In Tunica
http://tri-statedefenderonline.com/articlelive/articles/2438/1/Election-letdown-in-Tunica-County/Page1.html

Catch Louise Linzy On W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio Sunday January 13, 2008 @ 4PM Central/5PM Eastern!!!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe

She will be talking about her recent experiences running for judge and being a public servant...Exclusive interview.

Ike Receives Send Off Fit For Rock Royalty...

http://tri-statedefenderonline.com/articlelive/articles/2506/1/Remembering-Ike/Page1.html