Check with the Voter Registrar – Are You Still on the Rolls?
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www.mississippilink.com VOL. 24, NO. 46 SEPTEMBER 6 - 12, 2018 50¢ The Mississippi Link proudly congratulates Dr. Hickman Johnson for 50 years of faithful service to the Farish Street Baptist Church. Thank you for leading by example. See photos on page 16 Andrew Gillum shocks the political world and Serving with a sets stage for three black U.S. governors servant’s heart By Lauren Victoria Burke Will Jemison appointed International Chief NNPA Writer Wildly outspent by a billion- aire challenger and the daugh- of Staff for Omega Psi Phi Fraternity ter of a former Florida Gover- nor, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew By Othor Cain know he serves with a servants Editor Gillum, 39, shocked the politi- heart, so its easy to buy into his cal establishment to win the gu- With absolutely no thoughts vision,” Jemison said. bernatorial primary in Florida of taking on a leadership role in He envisions the organization August 28. 2005, when he transferred his becoming more than a sleeping Gillum defeated former Con- membership from Theta Sigma giant. “We do a lot, but only our gresswoman Gwen Graham Chapter at Dillard University organization really knows it.,” 34-31 percent to win the Demo- in New Orleans to the Beta Al- he said. “I want to see us really cratic nomination. He will now pha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi engage more in the community face pro-Trump Congressman in Jackson, Miss., Will Jemison and I want the Omegas to help Ron DeSantis in the general Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, was prepared to be fi nancially all of the other members of the election November 6. 39, shocked the political establish- active and simply support pro- Divine 9 to do more.” Gillum’s victory caught many ment to win the gubernatorial pri- grams. Jemison refl ected on the his- political observers by surprise. mary in Florida on August 28th Those thoughts quickly van- tory of the Divine 9. “I know we The 39-year old Mayor was ished and his time of rest came were all founded during segre- polling in fourth place less than any state, should she win. to an immediate end when his gation and at a time when we a month ago. But recent polls Former NAACP President work in New Orleans and ser- were dealing with other monu- showed an upward movement Ben Jealous is running for gov- vice to Jackson was observed by mental civil rights issues,” he to second place. Gillum and his ernor in Maryland against mod- David Marion, who was serving said. “It seems we are at a time supporters completed that up- erate incumbent Republican on a state level for the organiza- where we are facing some of ward movement by coming in Larry Hogan. There are also tion at the time. Jemison those same issues again and fi rst on election night. four black candidates for lt. Marion recognized Jemison’s I want to see all of us become Gillum’s victory sets up a governor running this year for ability to “get things done,” since 2001. “I knew this was got to Dillard, the Omegas were more than sleeping giants, be- historic opportunity for there to the fi rst time in history. and asked him to serve on vari- my path,” he said. “I remem- leading on the campus, they come more engaged with the be three sitting African-Amer- Gillum’s progressive vic- ous committees, including one ber as a kid being on the cam- were the ones receiving most of community, become more im- ican governors in the U.S. for tory was cemented in part by a where he [Jemison] lead the 7th pus of Jackson State University the academic awards and lead- pactful; together we can do it.” the fi rst time in history. late visit by Sen. Bernie Sand- District in an extraordinary out- with my brother-in-law Robert ing several different efforts on Marion tapped Jemison to Former Georgia lawmaker ers in support of his candi- reach effort and reclaimed more Woodson, who became an Ome- campus…for me it was a no serve as international chief of Stacey Abrams is the Demo- dacy. Though he did not win, than 3,000 inactive members. ga in 1981 and watching the ca- brainer.” staff, a position he serves with cratic nominee or governor of the Independent Vermont U.S. “This was the largest effort of maraderie these guys shared and Jemison is excited about the a great amount of preparation Georgia after a decisive July 24 senator who ran for president reclaiming brothers in our his- the impact of their work; I knew next chapter for the organiza- and pride. “I’ve served as his primary victory. Abrams would tory,” Jemison said. then that I wanted to be a part tion. “I’ve been connected to be the fi rst African-American Gillum Jemison has been an Omega of this group,” he said. “When I David for a long time and I Servant woman to be a governor from Continued on page 3 Continued on page 3 Check with the voter registrar – Are you still on the rolls? By Mark Hedin to 15 states by 2012 and 29 by nonprofi t funded in part by the ers. Triceedneywire.com 2014 and in 2017 was appointed Gates Foundation, Wal-Mart, “The outcome is discrimina- U.S. citizens across the coun- to a leading role in the White Ford Foundation and many oth- tory against minorities,” Swed- try soon will vote on all 435 House’s short-lived Presidential ers, concluded that the voters lund says. seats in the House of Represen- Advisory Commission on Elec- Crosscheck tagged for review The chief explanation for the tatives, for 35 U.S. senators and tion Integrity. are disproportionately non- racial inequity is that ethnic three dozen governorships. The In 2017, of 98 million voting white. communities are more likely to House of Representatives and records Crosscheck analyzed, “States participating in the share a surname, such as Wash- possibly the Senate are up for it deemed 7.2 million potential Interstate Crosscheck system ington, Lee, Patel or Kim, Palast grabs. duplicates, although Crosscheck risk purging legally registered told Ethnic Media Services. Given the high stakes, voters has yet to produce its fi rst voter voters with a signifi cant overs- Swedlund and Palast found would do well to check at least fraud conviction. Eight states ampling from communities of that the Crosscheck system a month ahead of time with their that originally signed on have color,” it said, citing the work seems satisfi ed that if two peo- local board of elections to see if since dropped out, citing unreli- of journalist Greg Palast, who’s ple share a common fi rst and they’re still registered to vote. able data. Nonetheless, it’s still been studying the U.S. voting last name, they’re suspect. Dif- This is especially true for peo- in use in dozens more. system since 2000, for the BBC, ferences in their birthdate, mid- ple of color. than once. State Ron Thornburgh as a free Eight of those state have Sen- al-Jazeera America, Rolling dle initial, Social Security num- The reason is that millions For the 1,166,000 people in service for participating states, ate seats up for a vote this year Stone magazine and others and bers or suffi xes such as “Jr.” and could fi nd their right to vote the country who share the sur- promised to detect voter fraud in contests that are expected to produced a fi lm about it, “The “Sr.” don’t keep registered vot- challenged or taken away under name Garcia, this could be a by comparing people’s names, be close: Arizona, Nevada, In- Best Democracy Money Can ers off Crosscheck’s lists. suspicion that they’re trying to problem. Likewise for the Ro- social security numbers and diana, Missouri, West Virginia, Buy.” Not all 7 million people vote more than once, largely driguezes (1,094,924), Jack- birthdates. Kansas, Nebraska, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan. Working with data analyst whose names appear on Cross- due to 26 states using the Inter- sons (708,099), Washingtons Iowa and Missouri fi rst imple- And 19 Crosscheck-using states Mark Swedlund, Palast found check’s lists will be denied a state Voter Crosscheck system, (177,386), Kims (262,352), Pa- mented it in 2006. are voting on their governor for that among states using Cross- vote, though. For one thing, which compares lists of vot- tels (229,973), Lees (693,023) During his tenure as Kansas’ the next four years. check, one in six Hispanics, one only 36.4 percent of the people ers in different states and chal- and Parks (106,696). secretary of state, current GOP In a 2015 named “The Health in seven Asian Americans and lenges the registration of those Crosscheck, developed in gubernatorial candidate Kris of State Democracies,” the Cen- one in nine African Americans Vote whose names come up more 2005 by Kansas Secretary of Kobach expanded Crosscheck ter for American Progress, a landed on its list of suspect vot- Continued on page 3 JSU alum Cornell Aretha Franklin laid Share this issue with a friend William Brooks receives to rest following by mailing it to: Harvard Kennedy loving ceremony Inside School appointment Page 8 Page 10 LOCAL 2 • THE MISSISSIPPI LINK SEPTEMBER 6 - 12, 2018 www.mississippilink.com Landmark Jackson Heart Study renewed for six more years The Mississippi Link Newswire JHS cohort. and Vanderbilt University.” State Department of Health The National Heart, Lung, This next JHS phase will also “The Graduate Training and joins the JHS and will manage and Blood Institute of the Na- include a component on the re- Education Center provides the new Community Engage- tional Institutes of Health has lationship between heart health training in cardiovascular epi- ment Center.