EQUALIZING LIFE CHANCES FOR ALLPEOPLE · Amag: Tevin what was your most embarrassing moment ?...

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A MAGAZINE 56 M AY 2000

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id anyone see the Movie "Bullworth"?.That movie revealed WHY we are not gettingthe political support we need from our candi-dates, and WHY our voice does not count.

Simply put, because we lack the funding and eco-nomic power to support our votes. Have you noticed

something different about this year’s local politicalcampaigns? There seems to be a quiet hush over the

black oriented airwaves and newspapers. Well, if you see or hearany political ads on your favorite radio station or in your local black newspaperit’s because a conscious decision has been made to not advertise there. There’sone reason and one excuse why candidates don’t advertise in the black commu-nity any more. First of all there are several candidates who honestly don’t havethe financial resources to advertise anywhere.... Black community, white com-munity or anywhere else. Then there are the candidates who have the money toadvertise in the black community but have made a conscience decision to investtheir resources in other markets.

This is another blatant example of candidates taking the black vote for grant-ed. Many candidates (mostly Democrats) don’t think black voters have any placeelse to go. They, consequently, invest their resources in the white vote by pour-ing all of their dollars in "television". At the same time, they know that those blackregistered voters who are most like to vote, get their campaign information fromblack radio and black newspapers. So why don’t candidates advertise throughthese mediums to blacks. Well, it’s not about blacks.... it’s about whites. You see,white candidates have learned a lesson from North Carolina’s senior senator,Jesse Helms. Many wonder why he keeps getting elected. It’s really simple,Jesse has surrendered the black vote in North Carolina to anyone who wants it.He then goes about the business of convincing the white majority that they needhim and his style of leadership. Jesse knows that if he gets 67 percent of thewhite vote, his opponent can get the other 33 percent of the white vote, ALL ofthe black vote and all of the other vote and Jesse will still be victorious. Otherwhite candidates have begun to play Jesse’s game. They’ve discovered that theblack vote is critical when the white vote is split, but when the white vote is con-centrated the black vote is less critical.

Presidential candidate George Bush spent over 50 million dollars in the recentprimaries and it would be interesting how much went to black media.Some of uscan remember when the local black radio station and the local black newspaperswere teaming with ads from various candidates talking about their positions onthe issues that affect the black community. Now these same candidates hireblack operatives to spread the word in the black community. This is not only get-ting the black vote cheap, it’s assuming that blacks are going to listen to select-ed spokespersons more so than they would listen to, or read political ads throughmass media (where, incidentally, white folks get their word). But the real insultingpiece in this scenario is that too many candidates see the black vote as a tool andnot as a valuable and integral cog in their wheel for success. Black voters havegotta stand up and ask tough questions...... "Why haven’t you used my tradition-al media outlets to seek my vote"? "Why have you chosen to invest all of yourresources in communities outside the black community"? These are real ques-tions that require real answers.

desPublisher s

Why don’t political candi-dates advertise in the BlackCommunities?

James E. CotterJames E. Cotter

D



in his own wordsin his own wordsAmag: Who is Tevin?

Tevin: ..I don’t really know who I am just yet, I am growingand learning day by day and I am beginning to come intomy own. I am writing my own songs now unlike when I firstbegan singing. And in these songs Iam talking about things that peoplereally don’t know about me. I’msharing a lot of who I am in this nextalbum.

Amag: How soon will your newalbum be released?

Tevin: I want to have a singlereleased by the summer.

Amag: At what age did you beginsinging and performing before audi-ences?

Tevin: My mother says I begansinging at age 3, but I can’t remem-ber back that far. As far as I canremember is age 5. During that timeI can recall going up to the speak-ers listening and mocking what Iwould hear. I used to think thatLuther Vandross was my fatherbecause he has such an amazingvoice and I would hear his voice somuch that I thought he was myfather, now that was weird!

Amag: Where do you remembersinging at age 5?

Tevin: I can remember singing inchurch and at home. I can remem-ber family members and friendswould pay me fifty cents to singaround the house and I loved everyminute of it.

Amag: Tevin did you grow up attending church?

Tevin: Yes, I come from a very religious family, I basicallygrew up being around my great aunt and she made surethat every Sunday I attended church without fail. She wasvery sincere about that.

Amag: How has being reared in the church helped you inyour everyday life and career?

Tevin: Well starting out as a kid I really didn’t have anyonethat actually inspired me. I knew that I liked Stevie Wonder.I just loved singing and I loved for anyone to just listen tome. The first album I ever owned my great aunt gave to

me. It was Aretha Franklins live albumAmazing Grace.

Amag: Tevin have you ever had anyvocal training ?

Tevin: Yes, but not until my voice beganto change. I can recall at age 15 awak-ening one morning and my voice haddropped a couple of octaves. It was hor-rible, so at that point I received vocaltraining for about two months consis-tently.

Amag: Tevin have you ever felt youwere before your time?

Tevin: No, because there are so manygreat singers, Sam Cooke and DonnyHathaway I feel are two of the greatestblack male singers. Donny was justincredible so I feel I’m just only followingin their footsteps. If it wasn’t for them Icouldn’t do what I’m doing now.

Amag: Tevin did you ever study theirmusical style?

Tevin: Oh yeah, now more than ever. Ijust discovered Donny Hathaway aboutthree years ago. I didn’t know who hewas but I was familiar with his song,Where Is The Love. So I’ve really beganto study him now.

Amag: Tevin what was your mostembarrassing moment ?

Tevin: Laughing, well this is a true story,I was 13 years old at the time when Ihad the pleasure of meeting Janet

Jackson in Dallas, Texas somehowJanet knew that I always dreamed of meeting her so sheinvited me backstage after her concert. I got the opportu-nity to sing for her my hit single,Tomorrow off of the QuincyJones album and she loved it. I told Janet that I would bemoving to L.A. soon so we exchanged phone numbersand sheasked me to phone her when I actually arrived becauseshe was having a barbeque at her beach home and would

...I love for people to

listen to me and say

ooh he sounds good...

...I like

that and I get

off on that.



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bride entered on the traditional "Here Comesthe Bride." After exchanging vows and rings,Denise Thimes sang "My Tribute" as the cou-ple lit the unity candle. Rev. James E. Lacey,pastor of First Baptist Creve Coeur renderedthe prayer and blessing. Mr. and Mrs. TommyW ilder jumped the broom after pronouncementas husband and wife. The bride and groommarched around the church with the weddingparty before greeting and welcoming over sixhundred guests.

The wedding reception for five hundred andfifty guests was at the America’s Center, whichalso catered the sit-down dinner. The beauti-fully decorated head-table, cake table andvine-draped columns were provided byPersonal Touches by Jeanetta. Knodels bakedthe "Cake by Candlelight." The "Cake byCandlelight" included nine-layers raised oncandlelight stands decorated with flowers,navy ribbon and candles. Jennifer Floyd, theviolinist performed around the (TOOL) mono-grammed ice sculpture. As the bride andgroom was announced for the first time as Mr.and Mrs. Tommy Wilder, the bride curtsied tothe floor in front of the groom. The guests werethrilled. The best man’s toast, given by thebrother of the groom Clifton Allen, waspoignant and something we will alwaysremember. After Rev. Robert K. Buckner saidthe invocation, it was nothing but excitementfor the guests.

The standard garter and bouquet toss and firstdance were part of the program. As a surpriseto the bride, the groom and the groomsmenpracticed every Sunday evening for four weeksa rendition of the Temptations, while the bridewas at Sunday evening service. The groomand groomsmen serenaded the bride with asurprise act from the Temptations, "My Girl."This was truly a treat. They moved, danced,and hand-clapped as if they were performingfor Motown.

Mavis Thompson, former Circuit Clerk of theCity of St. Louis announced for everyone tocome to the floor and electric side to the musicof Cameo, as seen in the motion picture, "TheBest Man." The evening ended with dancingand guests congratulating the bride andgroom, captured by Ted Daniel’s VideographyInc. Wiley Price captured the photos.

After all festivities were over, the bride andgroom resided in their new home. The groomis a Sergeant for the City of St. Louis PoliceDept. and the bride is a Fiscal Officer for theCity of St. Louis Comptroller’s Office.

The maid of honor was Tina Mosley.Bridesmaids were Karmen Baker, Maria Baker,Debra Ruffin, Regina Lattier, and JuanitaPetty-Allen. The Best Man was Clifton Allen.Groomsmen were Nevelle Frazier, DuaneBurnett Sr., Ricardo Muhammad, Charles "Big

M e m o r a b l e


Blacks in the community no different than whenWhite people hear one Black person saying toanother Black person "Yo nigga what’s up?," andthinks that it’s ok to say the same.

Being Black cops working in the African-Americancommunity is not an easy task. All day, everydayyou are called a Sellout, Uncle-Tom, Devil’sAdvocate, Tool for the Man etc. When in retro-spect we are not the ones out there poisoning thecommunity by selling drugs to our own people, weare not the ones shooting people because theystepped on my new sneakers, we are not theones pouring bleach on newborn babies becausemy baby and that baby has the same daddy, weare not the ones cutting people from ear to ear inorder to prove to my peeps that I’m bad enough tobe in their gang. So you tell me who is the UncleTom, Devil’s Advocate, Sellout, Tool for the Man,etc?

W e’re not trying to down our people but it is timethat we take responsibility for OURSELVES. It is time that weunite as a community with the Police Department,to stamp out those that are perpetuating thestereotypes that all Black people are violent gang-banging drug-dealing, drug-using, robbing, steal-ing lying people always looking for a way to makea fast buck. Although it’s only a small percentageof the population that is actually doing this, theyare the ones we as police officers come into con-tact with on a daily basis; they are the ones thatkeep the pendulum in motion. The rest of thecommunity has a tendency to turn a blind eye andsay well it doesn’t affect me so why bother...guesswhat...you could be their next victim. We kill our-selves in far greater numbers than all the Whitepeople and police combined. So how can anyonetake us seriously? The time has come for us tostop looking at others that commit murder againstus, and start looking at why we are so silent whenwe are murdering each other at an alarming rate.W e can easily call a White person a racist forkilling a Black person, but what do we call a Blackperson that kills another Black person? Since thelatter is more likely to be the case.

In 1999 there were 11 citizens, Black and White,shot by police in New York City. In1999 th h d d f Bl k

by Joel

There are very few things in the workplacethat meet with as much disdain as themonthly morale meeting. Sometimes goingto the dentist has more appeal. AlthoughI’ve worked at different companies, they arebasically the same. You get the dreadedmemo that says your attendance is manda-tory, so you go. On the day of the meeting,you see a representative from each depart-ment slowly heading down the hallway tomeeting room 2. I’ve seen more enthusiasmin men going to the gallows. No one wantsto be there, except for "Little Miss Sunshine:form inventory (every business has one).When the supervisor comes in, his first lineis always, "No, we are not getting raises."For me, at this point, the meeting is over. OhI know I can’t walk out of the room, but mymind is elsewhere.However, there are some who do not sharemy cynicism. "Little Miss Sunshine" insistthat lace curtains in the vending area willsend morale sky high. Of course. How couldI have missed that one. We all know that thereason the Post office has had so manyproblems with their employees is becausethey use Venetian blinds.

As every suggestion is shot down, theinevitable arguments ensue. Blaming andfinger pointing now reign. After an hour ofthis, the supervisor can say five words tosave this meeting and here they come

"Oh! By The"Oh! By TheMONTHLY MORALE MEETING

...it is time that wetake responsi-bility for



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I sat for about 1 hour andwatched a television debatebetween Bill Bradley and AlGore. I am not usually the typeof person who watches this typeof stuff so I was really surprisedthat I took my time to look at thestuff. After struggling though mostof the unanswered questions andtons of bull, I had taken all I could stand.Both of them turned my stomach. They never said anything that was worth listening to.

Now I guess I have to be honest andsay that I don’t vote. I never have votedbecause I don’t see the need or think itmakes any difference. So don’t bother try-ing to convince me that voting is such anoble thing to do. We both know that it is abucket of crap and only works for the powerfulwith money. The wealthy also enjoy having thosesuckers like us think they are involved in the game.Voting may make the average guy on the streets feelgood but that’s all. You feel good but you really don’t getanything for your time or your money.

Another thing I think we must think about. When youhave been in office already you have a major advantageof a newcomer or challenger. This means that in the vastmajority of the time the incumbent wins every time anddoes not have to work too hard for the position. I haveeven seen situations here where the person in office willliterally not work to get new voters in order to not end upspending more money to actually get those people to thepolls. They will simply think that it is better if they get thesame uninformed public to keep putting them in office. Inother words, they know just how few votes it takes to keepthem in office, so they will not do a thing to correct the lackof voting. All they need are the same poor souls who con-tinue to vote for them and get nothing back in return. Andwhy shouldn’t they feel that way? The incumbent almostnever loses. They have plenty of money, more access toinformation on how to win, and they enjoy the power ofthe incumbency. Worst still is the fact that people say they

right, people have thenerve to" say getactively involved totry to bring aboutchange." Eventhough they know thatwhen the incumbenthas the power of moneyand influence, they win!

And what do they win?Big salaries, jobs for their

families and friends. Huge retire-ment benefits and travel. Freehomes and gifts, almost no taxespaid. They live like kings andqueens, and even make lawsthat make our lives a living hellwhile they exempt themselvesfrom the very same laws. Yes,that’s right they don’t have to fol-low those so called precious laws

that we get punished severely for. Sopublic Servants they are. And no mat-

ter how hard we work to get rid of them,they keep winning. Why you ask? Because

they make the rules of the game!

So I don’t bother to vote. I don’t waste my time. It’s alla game that the wealthy and powerful play on those of uswithout power. It’s all part of the foolish trick they play tomake us think we have even a little bit of power. I guess itis supposed to make us think we actually matter. Make usfeel like citizens or something I guess. Someone said thata sucker is born every minute, I think it’s more like everysecond. I am not sure about you, but while I can’t make aperson stop trying to take advantage of me, I can certain-ly choose not to be a victim when I know they are trying toturn me into one!

So, the next time you hustle your butt off into the vot-ing booth exercising your civic duty to cast your ballot for"the candidate of your choice ", keep in mind that the deckis actually stacked against you. That is unless the personyou are supporting is the incumbent. If that is the case weknow two things, first we know that your candidate willmore than likely win, and second we know that the personyou are supporting is playing you for a major league fool

Last month

...the next time you hustle your butt off into the votingbooth exercising your

civic duty to cast your bal-lot for " the candidate ofyour choice ", keep in

mindthat the deck is actually

stacked against

don tiiwhy

by Sterling F. Jansen-(SophomoreFlorissant Valley Community College)

don t

A MAGAZINE 8 FEB. 2000


AS A VOICE O F THE AFRICAN

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T.P. Hearns cont.

....don’t get into the business to get richquick, to get attention or because you justlike it . If you don’t LOVE what you’re doingdon’t do it!

each show and that each show is like the very first showhe’s ever done.

W ith a rolling list of credentials T.P. has some ideas thatare in the makings for a t.v. show titled T.P. and Friends. His idea ofreturning to entertainment sparked the idea to presentsomething that we haven’t had in some time, a family vari-ety show with comedy, music and comic skits performedlive on stage.

T.P. remembers the Flip Wilson and Carol Burnett varietyshows and expresses that’s what America is missing. Weneed to be able to bring grandma and the kids out for agood time because the shows these days have gone sofar over the edge that we can’t. T.P. says it doesn’t haveto be that way and that he can certainly bring back realentertainment.

So far T.P. has had an overwhelming response with a verystrong cast, Emmanuel Lewis (from tv. show Webster)Comedian Dirty South and Spencer. The idea is to pick upa comedian in each city and tour for one year with T.P. andFriends. The tour started January 2000 inNashville,Tennessee, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and WestPalm Beach. After the year is completed then on to the bigscreen and remember you heard it first in A magazine!When asked what was his idea of an ideal mate the 5’9"big brown-eyed cutie responded Theresa, whom he trulyadores. Of course you know behind every good manthere’s a Theresa (just kidding) but, T.P. expressed that hetruly adores this special lady in his life and that she hasbeen and is all he needs. When T.P. has some down timehe spends most of his time with his seven children,Kenneth, Tawann, Ashley, Charise, Thomas, Tamika, andCoretha, and two grandchildren T.J. and K.J. Family is important to T.P. andwhen off the road T.P. deeply expressed that he lovesbeing surrounded by the people he loves and care for.



hurch. temple or mosque attendance mayoften rank low among children’s prefer-ences because such an activity is notalways as tempting and as

exciting as some temporal things. Yet chil-dren need to be led to believe in a higher being and needa religious upbringing for success and happiness in life.

Of course, I am one of those African-Americans raisedup going to church all day on Sunday...including SundaySchool, eleven o’clock service, afternoon program, BYPU(Baptist Young People’s Union) and night service. My owndaughter was not "religionized" that strictly...but it wasalways church at least once every Sunday forth Shereared her girl the same "religious experience" way. Thisis important to most grandparents, for no "Grandy", "Gan-Gan". "Grams". "Big Mama", "Pops", "Grandpa" or"Grandma"wants a beloved grandchild to turn into an ill-bred, ill-mannered, sassy foul-mouth heathen. Religiousexperience is part and parcel of good breeding, and is the

right of every child. There is reality, peace, and happinessin reverence, in prayer and in religious activity.

Many parents fail to understand the benefit of religioustraining for their children and may even hinder their chil-dren’s religious activity by neglect and other overt actions.The penalty for religious neglect is often a wayward,unhappy, unsuccessful child...causing pain and embar-rassment. Parents of modest means who take their chil-dren to church, temple or mosque (rather than just send them) and who encourage their offspring in reli-gious activities, do far more to help their children in theirformative years..than even the richest, most indulgent par-ents who fail to provide the religious ingredient.

Children, too, have their problems, their fears and theirinsecurities...and so should be taught early in life that Goddoes indeed answer prayer. Children should be taught topray, to say Grace before meals and to be God-fearingand reverent. These teachings will surely stand them ingood stead all the days of their lives. A religious upbring-ing is like money in a good strong, well-run bank...it drawsinterest and is a haven for all days, especially the troubledones. As we chart our course for the New Millennium, let

ReLADI

Dr. Katie Harper Wright

ne



Among those who attended CrownRoyal Night at The Black Rep arethe engaging Rloanda and DonnaW ilson.

Other cast members of theplay Fences on hand areErik Kilpatrick and DennisLebby. In the center is CJJackson-Carter.

The cast ofFences met atSpruill s to mix itup with theirfans. A.C.Smith, LindaKennedy, andKelly C. Hentonstarred in theproduction.

New York Times Deputy Managing Editor,Gerald M. Boyd, a Soldan alumnus was in townrecently and stopped off at St. Peter s AME totalk to the young men & women there.

Gerald M. Boyd withhis young audience atSt. Peter s AME.

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THE POETRY CORNER

One day, I woke early in the morning to watch thesunrise. Ah, the beauty of God’s creation is beyonddescription. As I watched, I praised God for Hisbeautiful work. As I sat there, I felt the Lord’s pres-

I answered, "Because I am only human, I am not per-

"THEN WHY IN TIMES OF PEACEDO YOU STRAY THE FURTHEST?W H Y ONLY IN TIMES OF TROUBLEDO YOU PRAY THE MOSTEARNEST?"

G o d

THEN WHY DO YOU SIN?"

How could I praise without a voice? Then itoccurred to me: God wants us to sing from our veryheart and soul. It never matters what we sound like.And praising God is not always with a song, butwhen we are persecuted, we give God praise withour words of thanks. So I answered, "Though Icould not physically sing, I would still praise Your

And the Lord "Do you really loveW ith courage and a strong conviction, I answeredboldly,"Yes Lord! I love You because You are the one and

The Lord then

"If you were mute, would you stillpraise

How could I listen to anything being deaf? Then I under-stood. Listening to God’s Word is not merely using ourears, but our hearts. I answered, "It would be tough, but Iwould still listen to Your word."

How could I love something without being able to seeit? Then I thought of all the blind people in the worldand how many of them still loved God and His cre-ation. So I answered, "It’s hard to think of it, but I

The Lord then asked

you still listen to my"If you were deaf,

Then theLord said,

"If you were blind, would youstill love my creation?"

Then Heasked,

"If you were physically handi-capped,

I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs andthe restof my body and wondered how many things I wouldn’tbe able to do, the things that I took for granted. And I

I answered, "Of course,God!

No answers, only

AloveUnknown

He asked me, "Do you love

story



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injustice and waste of human life left me with a great sense of sadness. Information on this exhibit can be found on the Internetat www.displaysforschools.com. Our tour of the museum ended and we boarded our van for a sun-filled drive to TallahasseeMuseum of History and Natural Science, the temporary home of the majestic White Tiger . Our tour guide was the young andbeautiful MS. KHALILAH GRIFFIN, a Florida State student studying Latin American andCaribbean Studies. Ms. Griffin, who hopes to become an interpreter for the United Nationsescorted us through Bellevue, the 1980’s plantation house and home of the princessCatherine Murat, the great grandniece of George Washington; the Bethlehem MissionaryBaptist Church, one of the oldest black churches in the state; and the ConcordSchoolhouse, one of the last one-room schoolhouses used in Florida. It was founded dur-ing the 1870’s as a school for the children of former slaves and was used as a publicschoolhouse for the area until 1968.Our second tour guide, BETSY BARFIELD, led us onour second half of our tour, which took us on an exciting visit of the wildlife inhabitants. Ourvisit began with the gorgeous White Tiger and three beautiful yellow tigers. These grow-ing tigers eat 9 pounds of meat each day. Temporary guest of the museum, they will beleaving and returning to their natural habitat in mid March.

Other interesting wild life inhabitants visited were the Red Wolf, the Whitetail Deer, ottersand bobcats, the Gray Fox and skunks, alligators,snakes, turtles, and the Florida Panthers and theBlack Bears. Among the not so wildlife inhabitantsresiding on the farm, were the cows, chickens,ducks, and my new friend Sugar the mule. Dustyand tired, we were anxious to return to the comfortsof our suites. We had little over an hour to rest andfreshen up before dinner reservations at Angelo sSeafood Restaurant, Where Recipes Are Born -Not Copied . A vast variety of fresh seafood wasavailable for our asking: crab, lobster, grouper,perch, flounder, mullet, amberjack, catfish, calimari,clams, oyster, scallops. You name it, they served it.I chose a specialty dish of pan fried grouper topedwith a creamy garlic sauce and stuffed with bits ofcrab, lobster and scallops. MAGNIFICENT!!! .

Ending another very full and eventful day, wereturned to the comforts of our suites.There is somuch more to share about the 2000 TallahasseeTour that it had to be put into two parts. See nextmonth s issue for continuation. You don t want to



All alone - on my own I thought I’d never besince the day you asked to marry me.

But now you’re gone and I struggle on - not reallyalone because our babies I carry with me -

forcing me from time to time to find my knees andask a dear friend to be with me so I’m not

alone

For strength I ask Him to help me carry on and raiseour children the best I can - even if I am alone onmy own caring-for the babies we made togetherwhen 1 was not alone - when - you whispered thosesweet words in my ears of how much you cared -yet now you’re gone and I’m

alone

The years passed quickly as I struggled on - allalone - getting closer and closer to my friend.

It wasn’t long before our kids were gone - on theirown - grown. Sometimes I wonder where the roadyou chose took you - to what end? Are you alone?Are you happy?

Have you met my friend? Being alone wasn’t so badbecause through my loneliness I found a friend Inever knew I had. One who carried me when I wasweak - wiped my tears when I wept

- watched over us when we were sleep - by my sidethrough thick and thin. He’s with me now -He’s waswith me then - my forever faithful, never failingfriend. Do you know him? Have you met my friend?Or are you alone?

All alone

W ritten By a Single Mom for Single Moms

THE POETRY CORNER

alone



boarded our 15 passenger van and headed for Florida StateUniversity for the last night of their Seven Days of OpeningNights unity concert. Seated among a full house of nearly 1500,we witnessed a magnificent concert. The University SymphonyOrchestra and the Chamber Choir, University Singers, andTallahassee Community Chorus, came together in memory offamed conductor Robert Shaw. Featured on this final eve wasEmmy Award winning jazz pianist BILLY TAYLOR. Taylor remainedtrue to form during his outstanding performance of PeacefulW arrior, a orchestrated piece commissioned by Robert Shaw andthe Atlanta Symphony orchestra in memory of Reverend MartinLuther King, Jr. The jazz oratorio contains three parts: It s AMatter of Pride , His Name Was Martin and Heritage .Audience appreciation of this magnificent piece was evident inthe thunderous applause that reverberated throughout the audi-torium.

On the same stage was orator WILLIAM WARFIELD, who sacclaimed throughout the world as one of the great vocal artistsof our time. Warfield narrated the Jazz Oratorio , and musicalselections Going Up To Glory , and I Hear America Singingwith the strong, vibrant voice that put him into the front ranks ofconcert artists. His oration was so profound that he brought thehouse to it s feet. Adding to our evening of sheer amazement wasWINARD HARPER, a drummer for The Billy Taylor Trio. Harpercaptivated the audience with his dynamic drumming. His soloperformance was so intense that one of his drum sticks flew outof his hand and another one magically appeared without his miss-ing a single beat. This AWESOME concert was under the direc-tion of Guest Conductor ANDRE J. THOMAS, Director of choralActivities and Professor of Choral Music Education.

D AY T W O began with torrential rains. Breakfast wasscheduled in one of the 16 beautiful parks along AdamsStreet where each block has it s own park. On a sun filledday, breakfast in the park would have been an excellentidea. But with the rain coming down, we thought for sureour plans would be changed for dryer ones. But neitherrain, nor snow, nor dark of night could stop our deter-mined, dedicated host MS. SHELLY KNOX, AccountSupervisor for Moore Consulting Group. Ms. Knox workedtoo hard in preparing a scrumptious breakfast of fresh fruit,bagels, juice and coffee for the media team to let a littlerain stop her from blessing us with her gifts. Being thetrouper that she was, she marched us a little further downAdam Street to a park with a pavilion and served ourbreakfast in the park . What a wonderful experience itturned out to be! THANK YOU SHELLY!!! Followingbreakfast, we armed ourselves with umbrellas and contin-ued on our scheduled walking tour of Downtown Tally. Aswe walked, we learned the history of the beautiful parksthat lined Adams Street and about the beautiful moss-draped oaks. These beautiful oaks are called resurrectiontrees because the moss changes to beautiful green leavesimmediately after a hard rain. We actually witnessed these treescome back to life after the much needed rain. At the end of theblock we visited the Old City Cemetery. Established in 1841, it sthe oldest cemetery in Tallahassee. Representing a cross sec-tion of Tallahassee s inhabitants during the 19th century - slavesand planters, governors and store clerks, veterans of wars andvictims of yellow fever are all buried in the cemetery. Even indeath it seems, segregation ruled. White burials were restrictedto the eastern half of the ground and slaves and free people ofcolor were buried in the western section. Religious preferencealso determined where one was buried. Among the elite AfricanAmericans buried in the cemetery is Dr. William J. Gunn, thefirst African-American in Florida to graduate from medical school.He opened his practice in Tallahassee in 1882 and became verysuccessful. Also buried in the cemetery is John G. Riley who was principal of Lincoln High School and a well-known educator inTallahassee. The Riley House (which we ll visit later on our tour) has been restored and is now the headquarters for the localNAACP chapter. Rev. James Page, the first ordained black Baptist minister in Florida also owns a marker in the Old CityCemetery.

The Old CityCemetary wheremany prominentAfrican Americansare buried. Evenin death segrega-tion ruled. Whiteswere buried on theeastern end whileBlacks wereburied on the

Bellevue Plantation House and home of Princess Catherine Murat,the great grandniece of George Washington. Located on theTallahassee Musuem of History and Natural Science reserve, it wasonce a cotton plantation that kept many slaves.

Sandra Easter-Carter with mis-tro himself - Andre J. Thomas,Director of Choral Activities andProfessor of Choral Music atFlorida State University.Thomas conducted the entireconcert at Florida State

Sandra Easter-Carter withEmmy Award Winning concertpianist Billy Taylor at receptionfollowing Florida StateUniversity s Seven Days ofOpening Nights unity concert.

Sandra Easter-Carter withdynamic drummer WinardHarper, member of Billy TaylorTrio. Gave an outstanding per-formance at Seven Days ofOpening Nights unity concertat Florida State University.




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A MAGAZINE 56

I M eM eForA m

I dont drinkI don t smokeI don t do drugsI am a young, black, religious, educated, childless,fect, noble, non-smoking, non-drinking, non-drug using womanDo you know meSo don t compare me to him For I am sheDon t compare me to herFor I am me

If you think I m untrustworthyIf you think I m dumbfoundedIf you think I m like themYou don t know me

I am not himI am not her

I am youngI am blackI am a womanI am a young, black, womanDo you know me

I am educatedI am religiousI am childlessI am a young, black, educated, childless womanDo you know me

Don t compare me to himFor I am sheDon t compare me to herFor I am me

I make mistakes I try to do rightI like to be treated fairlyI am a young, black, religious, educated, childless, imperfect,noble and equal belief having womanDo you know me

THE POETRY CORNER

article written by a blackfemale and in it she saidthat she was furious at theBET tonight show becauseit aired a show in which ablack man stated that whenhe sees a sister with a maleof another race he consid-ers it a donation. My wifeand I felt somewhat insult-ed. She also added that ablack man on the BET chan-nel said that lighter skinnedfemales are consideredmore attractive than darkskinned females. My wifesaid that she saw that par-ticular show also. We arewondering how do weexplain these concepts toour black daughters? How

are? When am I supposedto tell all my daughters thatthe Black man considersthem less than females ofother races but better thanfemale offspring of MichaelJordan, Bill Cosby, BobbyBrown, Shaq, Dr. King,Malcolm X and other blackfemale offspring? How do Itell my African Americanblood sisters that they willhave to buy their own man-sion because they will neverlive in a mansion with acelebrity who screamsblack power but refuses tospend his money on anAfrican American female? (Iread the article the outspo-ken Black Female wrote,

to support black powereven when it s spitting in theirfaces by supporting non-blackfemales? How do I tell myblack daughters that theyshould have second thoughtsabout supporting movies withblack men pictured with non-black females because theway things are goingfemales of other races arepushing the black femaleout of important roles(example why wasn t ablack skin or a yellow skinfemale chosen to be cohoston the BET Live show withthe host Michael Colyer(what ever his name is)?How do I explain to my

won t happen to them? Howdo I prepare my daughtersand grand daughters (to be)for a world in which Blackpeople live who have killedmore of their own kind thanthe KKK? If someone couldhelp me give my Blackfemale relatives good rea-sons to be proud of theirblackness and not believethat they are less thanfemales of other races, Ibelieve I can be a betterfather to my Black daugh-ters. I just need to know thatthere is hope for the Blackfemale in a time wheneverything seems hopeless.JAMES


by Dequinda Williams



mic honors. Immersed in A DEAR activities as they read,write, speak and work through their curriculum, studentsrespond excitedly to instruction that builds on their person-al experiences and their own language.

Through the acrostic A DEAR five of the fundamentalprinciples of the program can be used to help studentsdevelop healthy self-esteem and understand how they canmake a difference in their own learning. These componentsare attitude, desire, effort/efficacy, achievement and responsi-bility.

A DEAR shows how teachers and parents find solutionsto the problems of unmotivated, non-achieving and dys-functional children. Solutions are personalized for individ-ual situations. Discipline problems are reduced and hyper-activity converted to hyper learning. A Domain EmbeddedAcademic Response,

A DEAR utilizes all three of the learning domains. TheCognitive Domain is the head of learning. It connectsknowledge, skills, and content about life and learning tostudentsperformance. The Affective Domain is the heart of learning.It connects emotions, motivation, feelings, and attitudesabout life and living to the students performance in school.The Conative Domain is the hands of learning. It connectsactions, behaviors, and effort about life and living to thestudents performance in school. Some of the teachings ofA DEAR may be summarized as follows:

A is for attitude.There will be those days when our children reduce us totears and our patience will run out. Before we snap toanger and scold, nag or berate them, remember there willbe those days when we will need to have them call up theirpatience for us. At the end of each day forgive children anyaggravation they may have caused, and forgive yourself for

Designing

by Bertha Richardson

A Tradition of Excellence for African-American Children

Respect! How does one make school or home seemless like a stress inducer and more like a stress reliever?A DEAR! A DEAR- A Domain Embedded AcademicResponse.

A DEAR allows children to develop their full academicpotential while embedding positive character traits. The ADEAR activities create a safe learning atmosphere wheregiving the chance to read, write, speak and share thekinds of learning opportunities to grow and develop intocapable adults for the 21 st century. A DEAR teacher andparent are constantly DREAM-BUILDING, providing a tra-dition of achievement for all children.

In spite of all that is done for them, some childrenacross the country are turned-off, tuned-out, or make littleor no effort to meet the challenge of learning for the twen-ty-first century. Love of learning that most children beginschool with has been lost. Educators need some help inaddressing this really educational challenge and ideas toensure meeting their needs in an exciting way. Each daycan be a journey to hopelessness for some students fromstressful environments, I refer to as At Promise Children,unless they find some success at what they do. Many eco-nomic and social factors combine to place them in educa-tional risk. Caring teachers and parents can be theirguardians against hopelessness. A DEAR model taps intothe affective, cognitive, and conative domains power forlearning, teaching essential social and academic skills.From its implementation at Pershing Accelerated School,students grades, behavior and test scores have consis-tently improved. The school has since been recognized foreducational excellence, State Gold Star and National BlueRibbon School. Teachers who put the model into practicefind it makes a difference creating a classroom where stu-dents feel good about themselves and share a conta-giously enthusiastic love of learning. Students performwell beyond what is expected, with a high rate of acade-

A DEARLearning Community

The A DEAR activities create a safelearning atmosphere where giving thechance to read, write, speak and sharethe kinds of learning opportunities togrow and develop into capable adultsfor the 21 st century. So how does oneturn a room full of apathetic, bored chil-dren into excited, inspired learners?Perseverance! What does it take totransform a hostile, human battle fieldinto the garden of interactive learning

The A DEAR activities create a safelearning atmosphere where giving thechance to read, write, speak and sharethe kinds of learning opportunities togrow and develop into capable adultsfor the 21 st century. So how does oneturn a room full of apathetic, bored chil-dren into excited, inspired learners?Perseverance! What does it take totransform a hostile, human battle fieldinto the garden of interactive learning


"Beans beans, good forthe heart, the more youeat... "I can remember this lit-tle ditty chanted by my siblingsand neighborhood friends fromas far back as my memorygoes, and I had an tremendousdislike for the weekly meal forequally as far back.I swore every week when Mamma servedDaddy and us six children from whatseemed to be an enormous pot, that assoon as a got grown, I would never againeat the cardiac sustenance; I didn’t carewhat the benefits might be. Mamma just con-tinued to sing "Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross" as

cooked in a large kettle with the meat included. Herfavorite was beans, any kind of beans. She lovedbeans and she loved Jesus; and I wasn’t havingany of it. You see, I made the same solemn oatheach Sunday to Daddy about going to church. Daddy’s unspoken answer wasjust as clear as Mamma’s about the beans. Yousee, in those days, children simply did as they weretold, and so on Sunday mornings I grudginglytagged along to the church of the month with Daddyand my sisters and brother. You see, though Daddyhad no doubt that we must worship Our Father, hehad not found a church home for us, so for severalyears we were transient like boxcar travelers hop-ping from car to car going from one direction to theother. There was even a peculiar period in which apreacher made house calls. We were pulled fromour beds for our impromptu bible lessons, withbarely an opportunity to comb our hair or wash our-selves. Mamma worked on Sundays and was sel-dom able to worship with us, but she was the truespiritual conduit, and she managed to transmit themessage that Jesus is life, and without Him in yourlife there is no life. She interspersed stories of herSundays as a child in Newstead Baptist Church inwith the day to day conversations, and sang spiritu-als as she cooked, and implored, "Jesus give mestrength", at the onset of most any upset.

The funny thing about all those churches is thatonce there, I always felt fulfilled, and on more thanone occasion, I filled out the little white card at theback of the pew to become a member. This was myway of trying to commit to The Lord quietly, incon-spicuously. There were too many of those churchesto remember until our little transient band foundourselves at Cote Brilliant Presbyterian Church oneof those angry, tear filled Sunday mornings.Intuitively I knew I had finally arrived home. CoteBrilliant is known as the friendly church, and thepastor, Rev. William G. Gillespie and the congrega-tion not only offer friendship, but also a cessation ofthe hunger that once seemed insatiable.

After one of my extended absences, I have againreturned home, and with such a strong feeling ofcomfort and security. As an adult I understand thatthose beans, and my spiritual beginnings were my

by Janis M.

...I have again returned home and

with such a strong feeling of comfort

and security, because as an adult I

understand that those beans and

my spiritual beginnings were my




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Kenneth Calvert

Kendex Public Art

KENNETH CALVERTVisual Artist

Calvert’s workexhibits an enrichedbackground in thevisual arts, withexpertise as illustra-tor, painter, graphicdesigner, and mural-ist. Calvert heads theKendex public artprogram, whichfocuses on communi-ty cultural enrichmentthrough the develop-ment of murals andother public art pro-jects "My work is anexploratory journeythrough a range ofperceptual chal-lenges. I Want tocombine aestheticsensitivity, technicalskill and socialawareness, to con-

vey the experience of psychical gratification. I also want tooffer an insider’s interpretation of the aspirations andideals that in essence are the embodiment of the UrbanAfrican American Culture. I feel compelled to documentthe immediate environmental influences and experiences

however, I accept no limitation in terms of subject matteror mode of expression. Instead I prefer to exist in a stateof constant expansion in many creative directions, with myacademic foundation serving as the unifying element ineach of my works. This approach, I refer to as "Controlled

From (r - l) Thea Troupe, Ken Calvert, Gundia Locke,W illie Webb, Karmella Haynes, Dexter Silvers,

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may issue spreads.QXD 10/21/2006 12:00 AM

"The money was not there for me to go away, so I also enrolled in HarrisTeacher’s College." This is when he parted ways with many of his neighbor-hood buddies who felt the teacher’s college, the "Streetcar College" (the col-lege was positioned near old streetcar routes), was too much like highschool.

while the actorspantomimed theactions. It was follow-

ing one of thesepageants at Cote

Brilliante Elementary thatMs. Cox put a hand on his

shoulder and told him many people were talking abouthow well he performed. He said, "I remember asking, ’Areyou sure they were talking about me?’" They were indeedtalking about him. "As I look back on it, acting was a wayI could pursue all the things that I could be," Beckwith said.

Lynn Beckwith, Sr., who seldom missed an opportuni-ty to support his childrens’ efforts, was particularly proudto watch his son perform the lead role in the play per-formed for his elementary school graduation. According toBeckwith, the play, "Nevertheless," is about "a boy and hissister who dreamed of great things." That play could havebeen describing Beckwith’s life. His sisters, particularly theeldest sister, Dorothy, were a strong influence in his earlylife. Dorothy, now an Executive Director of a SocialService agency in Newark, New Jersey, was always agood student and set academic stan-dards for him along the way. "I alsolearned lessons of perseverance fromPeggy. The two older sisters served asrole models for me and I tried to do thesame for my younger sisters, Eunice andMarsha."

For much of his early years, the fami-ly lived east of Grand, at Leffingwell andNorth Market, deep in the heart of St.Louis City. Economic changes led tomoves that caused the Beckwith childrento attend five schools in six years."Everywhere I went, it appeared that theyhad just finished learning what I had notquite picked up at the previous school,"said Beckwith. Despite these challenges,the children, were impressed by theirmother’s strong desire for them to pursueeducation and their father’s continuingefforts to support the family; working mul-tiple jobs with no complaint.

The younger Beckwith was also nostranger to hard work. The summer afterhe turned 16 and completed his junioryear at Sumner High School, his fathertook him to the Urban League to get ajob. It was as a bicycle messenger for Western Union.Half jokingly and half seriously he said, "That is where Ilearned the importance of perseverance! The job paid $1an hour and required me to deliver telegrams in all types

of weather." He added, "It could have been

In many cases, getting there was just the first hurdle.Messengers often had to make their way to the top floorsof some of the largest buildings downtown and navigatethe dangers of some of the more depressed City neigh-borhoods. Beckwith, dependable and efficient, quicklyearned the respect of his supervisors. "Still, I never toldthem about my first real run in with racial prejudice."Asked to stop by a local restaurant to pick up an order forthe office, the tired teenager innocently sat down to wait.An employee immediately charged over to him and yelled,"Don’t ever sit down in here! You are not welcome inhere." That job taught him a great deal, including what itwas he did not want to do with the rest of his life.

What he did want to do, he decided, was follow his sis-ters to college. He even thought, at one time, of choosingDorothy’s goal of becoming a social worker. "Dorothystudied at Harris Teacher’s College and then went toLincoln University in Jefferson City. "The money was notthere for me to go away, so I also enrolled in HarrisTeacher’s College." This is when he parted ways with

many of his neighborhoodbuddies who felt the teacher’scollege, the "StreetcarCollege" (the college waspositioned near old streetcarroutes), was too much likehigh school. But, Beckwithwas destined to graduate andlater earn two of the school’stop honors: the 1984Distinguished Alumni Awardand in 1991 to accept theGolden Laureate Award.

For a time, it was just ameans to an education, thenin 1960, he student taught forthe first time at SimmonsSchool in St. Louis. To hissurprise, he enjoyed it! "Wewere sent out to interact withchildren and present testlessons. I thought I did it welland decided this was my life’scalling." During that summer,he worked as a playgroundleader, presiding over a play-ground much like the one onwhich he performed as a

child. From then on, it seemed as if his career was fallinginto place.

Beckwith graduated from college in 1961 with aBachelor of Arts degree in education and began teaching

Dr.Lynn Beckwith & Gloria Davis - Assistant Supt.Curriculum and Instruction



Is Mima Nebt

To focus on the production of public art in the form ofmurals, outdoor and indoor, exhibit/display art and set pro-duction art.To serve as a vehicle for artist development, byfostering the interaction between the professional artistand the aspiring artist while providing a public forum forpromoting the works of gifted artists.To be a centralizedinformation clearinghouse for the field of public art, pro-viding services for a broad range of members and infor-mation for the general public.To stimulate discussion of critical issues and serve as a

An increasing number of metropolitan areas seeking torevitalize their urban cores are using public murals tofocus on their unique histories and cultures. This hasproven to be an excellent strategy for showcasing diversi-ty and establishing an environment that is aestheticallyand culturally appealing to young professionals as well astourists. It’s an old technique, used by ancient societiesworld wide. Sometimes it has been a folk art, of anony-mous painters filling the people’s needs. Sometimes, as inMexico, the artists have been hailed as national heroes.The St. Louis area, from the ancient kingdoms of themound builders, to the present day, is steeped in a historyand folklore as rich and proud as any city in the nation. Itis our intent to present this unique legacy in a public forumof monumental art. The works of these artists can be seenthroughout the St. Louis area: "TROSCOM In Action"Federal center, by Ken Calvert, "The Emergence of Pride"JVL Building, Ken Calvert, Curtis Scott designers, an OnThe wall Productions/ Creative Coalition Project,"Cornerstones of Courage and Culture" City Hall KenCalvert, artist, a Portfolio Gallery Project, "BlackAmericans In Flight" Lambert International Airport,

introduce, enlighten and in many cases educate the com-munity at large to look no further than your "front porch" forwhat I call until now "Buried Treasure!"

DEXTER SILVERSFreelance Artist

Capturing vivid images of real life in full bloom througha somewhat realistic view of a third dimension or a breath-taking landscape that sweeps you away to places only hisimagination can take you. Dexter Silvers is a native St.

Louisan whohas been paint-ing for approxi-mately 30 years.At a young age,he was fortunateto discoveraninherent ability topaint and draw.This was a God-given talent

derived from his mother and father who encouraged andinspired Dexter throughout the years. Basically self-taught, he displays a very unique and accurate account ofphoto realism. His paintings are an extensive reflection ofcomposition and accuracy. This extraordinary gift is asskillful and articulate as a surgeon’s ability to perform.

IS’MIMA NEBT’KATA

I feel each creation I makereflects royal images of peoplefrom my ancestry to the mod-ern day person I may have justmet. CAREERSYNOPSIS/TECHNIQUESOriginally from St. Louis, I relo-cated to California over 20years ago to further exploreand develop my art. As a main-ly self-taught artist, I continual-

Buried Treasure?

By Willie J. WebbMarketing/Special Projects Manager for Kendex

Kendex PublicKendex PublicA wealth of talent exists in the St. Louis region in the form of well gifted AfricanAmerican artists. Kendex is a group of St. Louis based artists, design profes-sionals, administrators, consultants, educators and historians.Kendex’s mission statement is to spearhead community cultural enrichment bydeveloping public art projects.

O B J E C T I V E S :

V I S I O N :


Jaimie Rivers - Commissioner St. Louis Art Museum


ten years.

But perhaps his most important accomplishment camefrom progress made in closing the gap in achievementthat exists between African American and non-minoritystudents in the district. Beckwith attributes these suc-cesses to teamwork. "I have had the privilege of workingwith some very fine people who have comprisedUniversity City Boards of Education, past and present." Headded, "From the dedicated volunteers of the Board, tothe administrators, teachers, staff, parents and students ofthe district, I continue to marvel at the level of teamworkand dedication they have shown over the years."

As a memorial to his mother and a testament to his ownadmiration for the district, Beckwith initiated the MyrtisBeckwith Scholarship Fund with the help of his sisters andhis father. The scholarship was designed to help the aver-age University City High School female student who hasdecided to persevere in spite of obstacles or hardships, togo on to higher education and a brighter future. MyrtisBeckwith would have likely loved to have met KatherineYoung, who, last year, packed her bags and carried alegacy off to St. Louis University. But this was not an iso-lated gesture. Giving back to his community is somethingfor which Beckwith is known.

Over the years, Beckwith has remained active onnumerous educational task forces assigned to investigateeverything from instructional quality and textbook selec-tion to the desegregation program. He is a member of TheDanforth Foundation’s AmericanSuperintendents Advisory Board andoften serves on special educationalcommittees and councils for Missouri’sDepartment of Education. He is current-ly a member of the American Association of SchoolAdministrators, the founder of the St. Louis MetropolitanAlliance of Black School Educators, Craft Alliance, and theOmega Psi Phi Fraternity. Having been a former UnitedNegro College Fund (UNCF) Volunteer of the Year, heremains an active supporter for both the UNCF and theUnited Way. This type of passion was, in part, one of thequalities that led Beckwith to be selected as one of only 33African American leaders honored with a portrait and biog-raphy in the "Lift Every Voice and Sing: The St. LouisAmerican Heritage Project." The project, now available inbook form, was sponsored by the University of Missouri-St. Louis in partnership with the Urban League ofMetropolitan St. Louis and the Missouri Arts Council.

In school year 1998-99, he was named Administratorof the Year by the Missouri School Public RelationsAssociation (MoSPRA). His most recent honor came onApril 27, 1999, when Missouri’s Governor Mel Carnahanannounced that Lynn Beckwith, Jr., Ed.D., had acceptedan appointment to serve on an 11-member, statewide taskforce on school violence. The task force was created inresponse to the high school tragedy in Littleton, Coloradojust seven days earlier. All of these are impressive accom-plishments for someone who was warned by a high schoolcounselor that he might have "trouble competing withwhite students" in college.

For a fleeting moment, this crossed his mind when hewas greeted classmates and teachers at Sumner HighSchool’s 100th anniversary celebration. "My eighth grade

great things."

Beckwith admits, "As a child, not even I would have pre-dicted I would become an educator. Although, lookingback, it seems like a natural progression." He laughed,"My sisters sometimes say, ’I can’t believe my little broth-er is a Superintendent!’" Giving much of the credit to thefoundation laid by his mother and father, he said, "I am notso much surprised by where I am today, as I am surprisedat the distance I have come since childhood."

Over the past sixty years, the former bicycle messengerhas, indeed, covered a lot of ground. As he embarks onhis new opportunity as Superintendent in Residence at theUniversity of Missouri - St. Louis, it is almost certain thathe will continue to deliver one of the most important mes-sages he’s learned in his life. It’s one he has shared, insome form, with thousands of students over the years,"Dare to dream, dare to believe and dare to achieve." "Ifyou do these three things," he predicts, "all things are pos-sible."

Editor’s Note: Lori O Willis is the Director of

vel at the level of teamworand dedication they havshown over the years."

"From the dedicated volun-teers of the Board, to the

tors, teachers, staff, parents andstudents



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