ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • MAY 22 - 28, 2014 A9

people began adopting African than power in behalf of tyranny cultural customs, Muslim and oppression, because power, NAACP religion and newly-created real power, comes from our holidays celebrating their conviction which produces African heritage. action, uncompromising selects new CEO The Nation of Islam, under action.” inspiration from Malcolm X And let us not forget some Malcolm also had a dream and Elijah Muhammad, began of his more profound words: “If to demand the creation of a you’re not ready to die for it, The Rev. Martin Luther other oppressed people. racially separatist independent put the word ‘freedom’ out of King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” During the ‘60s, Martin Nation of New Africa. But your vocabulary. If you don’t speech is among the most Luther King Jr.’s approach with increasing affluence and stand for something you will celebrated in the nation’s using non-violence attracted equality, most black people fall for anything.” history, but as we celebrate more people to the Civil followed the path of Martin Yes, Minister Malcolm had the birthdate of Malcolm X, Rights Movement because Luther King toward full many dreams. He knew that we should also know that Malcolm incorporated integration and began people of color must unite Malcolm too had a dream. the richness of black calling themselves with a single purpose to attain He had a dream of justice history and culture, African Americans. freedom and peace, so he and self-determination for while completely Malcolm had many sought wisdom and knowledge his people that was free of rejecting white dreams. He said, through dreams, visions, violence, with ideals and society and their “Despite my firm fasting and prayer. Very few principles. He dreamed of subjugation and convictions, I have individuals are able to make equal access to education, brutality. always been a man who such a significant contribution tolerance, consensus- King urged tries to face facts, and to to their communities that they building, and, above all, his followers to accept the reality of life can claim much credit for its Cornell William Brooks, the new president and CEO fairness. bestow Christian as new experience and power and glory. Al Hajj Malik of the NAACP, shakes hands with Roslyn M. Brock, Malcolm X was born love on white Bernie new knowledge unfolds. El Shabazz did. chairman of the NAACP Board of Directors. Malcolm Little on May 19, racists who abused Hayes I have always kept an Happy Birthday, Brother 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. them. Malcolm open mind, a flexibility Malcolm. May your legacy live In 1964 he changed his name memorably asserted that that must go hand in hand with on. second Lifetime Achievement to Al Hajj Malik El Shabazz, blacks should seek any every form of the intelligent Please watch the Bernie Cornell William Award to , to signify his rejection of his means necessary to achieve search for truth.” Hayes TV program Saturday owner of the Los Angeles “slave” name after he visited justice. At one time in Malcolm did not trust the Night at 10pm and Friday Brooks becomes Clippers. Sterling was recorded the Holy City of Mecca. history, this was a part of press. He said, “The media’s morning at 9 am and Sunday telling his African-American Although Dr. Martin Malcolm’s dream. the most powerful entity on evenings at 5:30 pm on civil rights and Mexican girlfriend that he Luther King Jr. and Malcolm Dr. Kenneth R. Conklin earth. They have the power to KNLC-TV Ch. 24, and follow did not want blacks attending had different opinions on reminds us that in the 1960s make the innocent guilty and me on Twitter: @berhay group’s 18th Clippers’ games. integration and segregation, black people began saying, to make the guilty innocent, and view my blog http:// The NAACP also is facing they initially struggled for “I’m black, and proud of it.” and that’s power. Because berniehayesunderstands. president financial problems and will cut the same objective. That But that pride was more an they control the minds of the blogspot.com/. I can be reached its staff by 7 percent. goal was peace, freedom and aspiration than a reality. To masses.” by fax at (314) 837-3369 or North Star News Miller replaced Benjamin equal rights, particularly and create a sense of separate He told us that “power in e-mail at: [email protected]. Todd Jealous who resigned in specifically for black and identity and pride, black defense of freedom is greater The Board of Directors of 2013. She served as president the NAACP, the nation’s oldest and CEO until the NAACP civil rights organization, has found a new permanent leader. elected Cornell William Brooks Brooks is the NAACP’s 18th as its new president and CEO, president. as well as employment. They public education and the abuse succeeding interim president The 53-year-old Brooks are symptomatic of racism of police as other factors that and CEO Lorraine C Miller. served as senior counsel for and the attitudes, policies and fueled racial mistrust. Brooks, a lawyer and human the Federal Communications practices that emanate from it. Drebes’ advice to Slay was rights activist, is currently Commission and was executive I maintain that the two to “step out of his South Side president and CEO of the director of the Fair Housing white mayors who’ve served shell” and find ways to lead New Jersey Institute for Council of Greater Washington. the longest have not only “St. Louis out of its pattern of Social Justice, which is based He was also a trial attorney for Building racial bridges missed opportunities to show racial politics.” in Newark. He is a native of the Lawyers’ Committee for leadership in a city where Instead, the mayor went on Annadale, N.J. but will move to Civil Rights Under Law. About a decade ago, a the national average. Their there’s literally a racial divide to demote Fire Chief Sherman Washington, D.C., for his new “I am deeply humbled headline in the St. Louis motto was “The city is back. (see the BBC’s “Delmar George, the first African- job. The NAACP is based in and honored to be entrusted Business Journal caught my Back the city.” Divide” documentary), but who American fire chief, to run Baltimore. with the opportunity to lead eye: “Mayor Slay needs to As I re-read my saved have been active participants interference with police local “Mr. Brooks is a pioneering this historic organization,” build new racial bridges in copy of that 2004 article, I in perpetuating the persistent control, to help bring in the lawyer and civil rights leader, Brooks said. “In our fight to city.” Dave Drebes, a young, thought about two things: racial divisions on demolition team of Marsal and who brings a wealth of ensure voting rights, economic white professional, was the whether Mayor Slay several levels. Alvarez that brought our school knowledge and experience to equality, health equity and end author. was aggressively Protecting and district to its knees and the list the association,” said Roslyn to racial discrimination for all I first met Dave back giving leadership to preserving white goes on and on. M. Brock, chairman of the people, there is much work to in the late 1990s when he racial bridge-building supremacy doesn’t It’s the kind of plantation NAACP Board of Directors. do.” was active in the group and if young people have to come by politics that progressives of “We look forward to leveraging Brooks, a graduate of Metropolis and St. Louis were still leaving the way of hooded men any race find backward and his legal prowess, vision and Jackson State University, also had its first black mayor, city because of its burning crosses. In repulsive. Keeping fresh, leadership as we tackle pressing earned a Master of Divinity Freeman Bosley Jr. Back antiquated worldview 2014 the penchant for talented city dwellers who want civil rights issues of the 21st from then Metropolis was a that stifles racial preservation of the to work in a city with a robust century.” School of Theology. Yale racially diverse group equality and youthful Guest Columnist white status quo is the economy and a participatory He is taking over at an Law School awarded him his of young, optimistic and innovation. same, it just manifests democracy continues to be a embarrassing time for NAACP, Jamala law degree. He is a fourth- enthusiastic cheerleaders for St. Louis has itself in more subtle challenge. which was founded in 1909 Rogers generation minister. city life. often ended up on and sophisticated ways. As to whether we are as the by The board selected Brooks It rebuked the class-veiled the list of the most The outcome is the still losing bright, young, W.E.B. DuBois and William after reviewing more than question of where you went segregated cities. And while same: separate and unequal. city dwellers, the answer is Monroe Trotter. 450 applications and meeting to high school and took on those are tallied mainly on The Business Journal article a resounding “yes!” That Miller recently demanded with 30 semifinalists. He will social and political issues the housing patterns, the gave several examples of this demographic is a part of the the resignation of Leon Jenkins, be introduced to the NAACP that tackled the obstacles to impact goes far beyond lackluster leadership. When the overall continued exodus president of the NAACP’s membership in July at its 105th attracting and retaining young housing. It touches schools, 2000 U.S. Census showed an from the city that has been Los Angeles branch, after national convention in Las people who were leaving St. media, crime, city services, increase in the city’s African- happening for decades. the branch planned to give a Vegas. Louis at a rate higher than social and cultural activities American population, Mayor As we celebrate the 250th Slay’s 2001 redistricting birthday of St. Louis, there map reduced the number of needs to be benchmarks for black wards to 12 and added the next five, 10, 15, 20 years another white ward for a grand with a transformational goal Attention total of 16 white alderpeople of developing a city that’s to maintain a hearty white financially viable and racially St. Louis American Readers majority. Drebes cited the inclusive. As Drebes said, mayor’s firing of Percy let’s lay a real foundation for Green as the head of contract racial understanding and honest As a service to the community, we list compliance, his attack on power sharing. obituaries in the St. Louis American Newspaper, on a space-available basis and online at stlamerican.com. AT NO CHARGE. Please send all obituary notices to kdaniel @stlamerican.com.